Split
by Lilly Lone
Summary: Anakin and Padmé seem like the perfect couple. King and queen of their respective fraternity and sorority. But when a murdering psychopath is let loose on campus, their lives and relationship will be at risk. Anakin's case of double personality could cause him to lose more than just his sanity. Anidala College AU. Slasher horror film inspired fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Split**

 **AN: This is set in the seventies simply because I find the decade spooky and the lack of internet and modern technology helps create a lack of communication and horror situations (you'll see).**

 **I'll try to not make the sexual and violent situations too explicit but the rating might change and go M. (If you could let me know how would you prefer it in the feedback, that'd be great).**

 **A few things to keep in mind for this AU:**

 **-Anakin and Padmé are the same age (21).**

 **-They've known each other since they were five and became high school sweethearts.**

 **-Anakin is in a fictional fraternity called Alpha Gamma Phi and Padmé in a fictional sorority called Kappa Kappa Delta.**

 **I've never been in a sorority and my knowledge and depiction of it here will be about what I've seen in movies and what I could find in the internet, so I apologize in advance for all of the mistakes I _will_ make.**

 ****Oh, and I don't own Star Wars****

 **Please review, favorite and follow! If you like it, that is :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **1972**

 **Los Angeles, USA**

The fall semester had just started two weeks ago, yet for Anakin and Padmé, it felt like an eternity or lifetime.

Having spent all summer together, happy and more in love than ever, getting used to the fact that now they lived so separated from the other was really hard.

It was hard waking up and not have the other lying next to them; it was hard going to class and concentrate when all they could think about was the other. It was so hard talking and spending time with their roommates when they preferred a million times more to be with the person they loved.

So when both of Padmé's roommates left for a party that Friday, Padmé couldn't waste the opportunity to have a date night with her handsome boyfriend, a date night which of course ended up with them demonstrating their love for each other, in Padmé's way too small bed. The situation proved to be difficult giving Anakin's great and tall body, but they made it work.

As she laid her naked and eased young body on his also naked one, Padmé felt a strange fear amidst all her happiness.

She breathed in and out, in and out, fast and unsteadily. She didn't want to show her nervousness, since she was afraid she might hurt his feelings, but she couldn't help it, they had just made a big decision at age twenty one. The biggest decision of their lives.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Anakin asked her, a pang of doubt and much fear in his kind voice.

Padmé started shaking. She actually was, but she'll never admit it, not even to herself.

"What? Of course not!" she cried, nervously.

He removed her from his strong chest and laid her on her very small side, seeing that they could not have a conversation while lying in the bed, he got up and walked to a chair. As he did that, Padmé got a good look of her now fiancé's fine body. She had to bite her lip to avoid the squeal Anakin provoked in her.

She then started biting her nails, then she rubbed her fingers with the same nervousness, and so, her eyes saw the ring that now graced her soft white hand. She looked at it for a long time, then she looked at Anakin.

"I love you," she said. "I always will. There is no one in the world I'd rather spend the rest of my life with."

"So you don't think it's too soon?"

"Anakin," she said, walking to where he was which caused her to trip a few times as they were in utter darkness, only the light of the moon and stars that came from the window lighted them. "It's never too soon to start spending the rest of your life with the man you love," _Oh, but it is!_ "If I didn't want to get married, I wouldn't have said yes." _But I did it only because I was afraid you might leave me otherwise! Oh my love, forgive me!_

Even though she couldn't see his face in the darkness, she knew he was smiling.

Suddenly, she felt strong sweaty hands on her waist, at first that caused her to be startled, since she didn't even hear him move, but when the usual hot feeling that she got whenever he laid hands on her arrived, she was forced to release a slight moan, which was all Anakin needed to grab her like a savage and throw her in the bed again.

* * *

When morning came and the rays of the sun were too strong to let her rest anymore, Padmé freed herself from Anakin's arms, and walked to close the drapes.

She showered, put on her makeup and outfit for the day, and Anakin was still sleeping. Probably tired from their night activities and too rested and relaxed to get up so early. It was Saturday so Padmé thought he was more than allowed to sleep till noon if he'd like. She sat in front of her desk, went through some papers, and then sat again on her makeup table. From the mirror, she could see her sleeping boyfriend and future husband. He looked so peaceful, so beautiful… so damn perfect. Padmé's fears of commitment were starting to fade away.

Why should marriage be so scary? What else would she gain apart from the perfect specimen of a man behind her? Why did she even doubt it? Of course she would be happy to marry him! And now she could see his intentions behind that big question. He didn't ask her to frighten her. He did it because he loved her and he was sure he'd never want any other woman. And the thought filled Padmé with a feeling of happiness so great she felt she couldn't fit it in her heart.

She felt a sudden urge to jump on him and tell him she loved him a million times while covering him in kisses.

She was so deep into her happy loving thoughts, she didn't hear the door being opened. So when the face of her best friend and roommate, Dormé, appeared in front of her, Padmé let out a great scream of fear.

"Ahh!" Padmé cried till her friend put her soft hand on her lips.

"Shhh! Shut up!" Dormé said in a whisper. "You are going to wake him up!"

Padmé stood up next to the bed, relieved that she didn't awake him.

The smile she had at watching him was erased when again her friend spoke:

"Jesus Christ!" Dormé said in a very quiet voice that couldn't hide her pleasure at seeing Anakin. "What a night you must've had!"

Padmé's cheeks turned a violent crimson shade. "What are you doing here?" she scolded as low as she could, watching her and then her boyfriend with a pang of jealousy.

Dormé didn't answer immediately, her eyes giving all their focus to the naked man in the room. Anakin's chest, arms and legs were in full view, only his most private parts were covered in the white sheets and blankets. When Padmé noticed, she immediately ran to him and covered his whole body so that her friend couldn't see him anymore.

Padmé pushed her friend and forced her to go outside. When they were standing outside of the door, Padmé stopped speaking in whispers, yet her voice was still very low. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, unable of not showing her anger.

"Hey, we said we would give you all night. And look outside; the sun is out, babe."

"But couldn't you at least knock!?"

"Hey, this is my room too! I don't see why I can't enter it anytime I want."

"I thought you would stay at Gamma Gamma house for the night—and probably all morning."

It was Dormé's turn to turn crimson. "You know how those Frat boys are, Padmé. They beg you to stay at night and practically force you to leave when they're done…"

"Oh, honey," Padmé said pitying her. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, whatever!" Dormé cried. "Their loss not mine."

Padmé's face looked confused for a moment. "Their?"

The other girl laughed. "I ended up with three of them!" she giggled in Padmé's ear.

"What!" Padmé cried, shocked. "How is that even possible?"

"Oh, well, you see…"

"I'm not actually asking!"

Dormé laughed this time very loudly. "Oh don't get all self-righteous on me. I just walked in on you with a very naked man. So you're no virgin either, my dear!"

Padmé looked down, embarrassed. She could never get used to the carefree ways other girls spoke of their personal lives. She still liked to keep private things… well, private.

"You should try it," Dormé said, causing the red on Padmé's face to be more of anger.

"I never could!" she cried. "I love only one man and he is more than enough for me!"

Dormé giggled. "I'm sure."

"He's the only man for me," Padmé muttered, more softly, kinda speaking to herself. "He's the man I'll spend the rest of my life with."

Dormé looked bored. "Honey, that's sweet. But don't let him hear you say things like that. You would freak him out and scare him away."

It was Padmé's turn to giggle. "I doubt it," she said, raising her hand and showing the big ring on her finger.

"Holy shit," Dormé said, absolutely taken aback. "What the—he proposed?"

"He did!" Padmé's smile grew wider. "We're getting married!"

She waited for her friend to congratulate her, but Dormé's usually carefree face left her. She looked stern, worried, almost, afraid?

"Are you out of your mind?" she asked, and Padmé was hurt by her tone.

"Why? People do it all the time!"

"It's too soon for you guys," Dormé argued. "Shouldn't you wait till at least graduation? I mean, sorry Padmé, but by then you two might be different people. I think you should wait."

Her words echoed Padmé's initial thoughts but she chose to ignore it.

"I already said yes and I am glad I did. Dormé, I love him and he loves me! Isn't that all there is to it?"

"I don't think it's that simple, honey. But hey, it's your life. I just hope you really thought this through. I mean, shouldn't you wait till you really know each other well? You've been together for like…"

"Five years, more than enough."

"But you were teenagers at the beginning. You've changed since then and you will change through college."

 _Is she right?_ "Stop it, Dormé! You're just messing with my head! Besides, we might have started our relationship at sixteen, but we were neighbors and we knew each other since five."

"So you know and can live with everything about him?"

"Yes," Padmé said without thinking. "Yes, I can…" when she actually thought about it. She had to inwardly admit to herself, there were certain things she didn't like in him…

He had a temper. One that could oftentimes scare her… but he had always kept it in control and he always will! _Pretty confident about that…_

Both girls stopped talking when they heard noise from inside their room.

"Sleeping Beauty finally woke up," Dormé said, mockingly.

"I beg you," Padmé said. "Please just go. Give me an hour and I'll get him out. Please, pretty please!"

Dormé smiled. "Alright. I'll go find Cordé and see if she has any bit of dignity left from spending the night God knows where! But I must warn you, dear. We will discuss everything I've seen and heard this morning!"

"Of course you will. You have my blessing if you want to call me childish or say I'm not ready for marriage—now go!"

"I was thinking of discussing your hot boyfriend—I mean fiancé!"

"Ugh!" Padmé groaned. Dormé kissed her cheek, said a goodbye and left.

Padmé entered the room but remained leaning on the door, her old doubts about marriage returning to haunt her. _Damn Dormé!_

She looked at the bed and saw that it was empty, she didn't worry as she had already heard the shower.

"Padmé?" Anakin cried from the bathroom.

"Y-yes, honey. It's me."

"Care to join me?"

She smiled faintly. "I already showered, Ani."

"So?"

All her fears evaporated through the air.

She walked to the bathroom and when she saw him again, knew that she hadn't any reason to doubt. They would be fine. They would be happy. They would be married!

 **Next Friday Night.**

Dormé and Cordé watched their other roommate with a frown on their young faces. It was a boring weekend, they all had agreed on it. And they blamed Padmé for it.

"There are many parties tonight," Padmé said, dully. "And I didn't ask you guys to stay here with me."

"Like we could've left you alone," Cordé said. "What if a murderer comes and you're all alone?"

The girls giggled.

"Or you could've acted like a normal human being and come with us to the party," Dormé said, annoyed.

"I miss Anakin," Padmé sighed.

He had left that weekend to go see his mother Shmi, driving alone to Nevada, leaving Padmé depressed and lonely.

"So this is how it's going to be now that you're engaged?" Dormé asked, viciously. "Your entire world will depend on your man?"

Padmé felt very offended. "Of course not! I'm not dependent of my boyfriend! I am a college student, a strong independent woman… but that doesn't mean I can't miss him."

The girls sighed.

"I think you should go out tonight," Dormé suggested. "Have a little fun with us girls."

Padmé shook her head.

This time Cordé suggested, "It's not such a bad idea. After all, when he's back you're probably not going to pay much attention to us. I think girls night out would be awesome! What do you say, Padmé?"

"I don't know…"

"Come on," Cordé said, lifting Padmé from the floor where she was seated. "I'm gonna get you ready!"

Padmé laughed freely as Cordé begin to do her makeup, while Dormé went through her closet looking for a dress.

When they were all ready, they stood in front of the wide mirror in the bathroom. Padmé looked at her friends, then at herself, and shaking her head, she said: "I can't go out like this! I look like a… like a—"

"Slut?" Cordé said, grinning. "God-damn you do! We all look so hot but you definitely take the cake, honey! Come, let's go!"

* * *

Padmé paced around her bedroom, alone, dizzy, feeling like someone was repeatedly hitting her aching head.

Her legs trembled at every step; her eyes were struggling to remain open; her stomach now felt like it was dropping. Altogether, she felt horrible and almost wished to be dead.

She turned off the lights, which she regretted immediately when she couldn't find her bed; then the sound of the ringing phone begin to cover her ears, making her feel that her brain would exploit.

"Oh, shut up…" she blurred out in her drunken state. But the phone never stopped ringing.

She fell on the floor and badly hit her head. "Oww…" she moaned in pain. Still the sound of the phone was driving her crazy.

When she couldn't stand it anymore, she groaned, angrily and dragged herself across the bedroom, following that loud noise that was destroying her ears.

She finally found it, she picked it up, and said, more incoherently than she could tell: "Hello?" the awful sound of the ringing had stopped, but there was no voice answering the phone. She tried again, "Hi… who's there?" the other person hung up.

With the deadly silence that followed, she dropped her head and fell asleep on the cold floor. But her slumber lasted less than two minutes, when again the phone starting ringing. The sudden loud noise made her scream and jump in fear. It almost sobered her, and she picked it up again. "Hello?" she asked annoyed and angry. "Who's there? Are you gonna speak or you're just calling to annoy me and make sure I don't sleep?" there was a long silence, but the other person hadn't yet hang up. She could hear a strange loud breathing at the other side of the line. "This is Padmé," she said when she couldn't stand the silence anymore. "Are you calling for one of my roommates? They aren't here. Do you want to call back?"

The other person hung up.

Padmé started scratching her head, a nauseating feeling attacked her. She got up and turned on a small lamp. It almost seemed like a mistake, since now there wasn't a full darkness, but the little light could make her see strange shadows that just weren't there.

A strange chill ran down her spine, she realized she was sweating a lot, she weakly walked to her bed but was instantly stopped when again the phone rang.

She picked it up crazily fast, her voice dripping anger and fear when she spoke: "What do you want!?" a silence. "Are you looking for me?" silence. "Who are you? Why won't you stop calling me?" an almost one minute silence. Just the caller's loud breathing and Padmé's own. At last, the other person spoke, and Padmé wished he hadn't done so. She wished she had hung up. She wished she hadn't heard that. She even wished to be dead.

"I killed them," the caller said. It was a low whisper, one she could tell came from a masculine voice. There was a long silence, and then, "They're all dead!"

Padmé felt her heart stop, break, and die.

Tears accumulated in her gorgeously sweet brown eyes. She tried to speak but her voice failed her. She slowly crumbled on the floor, without ever letting go of the phone and without not hearing the caller's strange breathing.

Amidst a quiet sob, she asked, hating herself and life: "Ani?"

"I killed them," he said and hang up, and this time was the last one.

She waited seated by the phone all night, dreading while hoping it would ring again, which never did happen, so in a strange state, she spent the whole night.

The same words rang as loudly as the phone had done, making her feel like in a strange nightmare: _I killed them! They are all dead! I killed them!_


	2. Chapter 2

**It's Friday the Thirteen—everyone go hide!**

 **Or read this, and review please ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Padmé's countenance was odd. Dormé and Cordé were sure of it. It couldn't just be that fact that it was Monday and it was 7:00 am. Padmé was always a morning person, so there must be something going on with her.

After Friday's party, they had barely seen her during the weekend. Padmé had stayed in their room all day and all night. Claiming she had a paper to do and also waiting for her boyfriend's call, which she told them, never came.

There were big noticeable purple shadows under her big eyes from a lack of sleep, her usually tan skin was looking somewhat pale after two days in which she didn't go out; her hair was a mess, her outfit was beyond simple; she didn't look at all like the Padmé Amidala they knew and loved.

She was once the queen in their high school, every tittle that she could've obtained, she got it. Always getting the majority of her classmates' votes. And now in collage, life hadn't been very different for Padmé.

She soon became the most popular girl in campus; she seemed to have it all: beauty, a hot and also popular boyfriend, wealth, and a bright future before her. Someone with so many qualities and privileges should always, or most of the time be smiling. And she always was. Was… was… was…

There was no smile in her pretty face that Monday.

"Padmé, we can't let you go out like that," Cordé said, standing between Padmé and the door.

"Why not?" Padmé asked, looking vaguely at her friend and roommate.

"Because you look like shit and people will look at you and know something is wrong."

Padmé's eyes widened. "There's nothing wrong—"

"Yeah, yeah; you said it. But we didn't believe you."

"I just…" Padmé muttered, shaking her head. "I didn't sleep very well these last couple of days—that's all."

"Missing your man, aren't you?" Dormé laughed. "Well, you're going to see him in a few hours so you have an even bigger reason to get yourself together."

Padmé suddenly looked changed. Her expression was one of _fear_ , but thankfully, her roommates couldn't tell—they mistook the change for something else, something simpler.

"Ha! I knew that would work!" Dormé said and forced Padmé to go sit in front of her makeup table. "Come on, Cordé. This is a job for you, make our roommate pretty again."

Padmé let herself be handled as her friend put on her makeup; she let Dormé undress her and put her into something more becoming and less simple. Padmé had earlier put on gray sweat pants and a large T-shirt; now she was wearing a skin-tight blouse and a flowy and not too short brown skirt, all with simple yet pretty laced-black shoes. It wasn't her best look, but certainly an upgrade from her earlier one.

* * *

When there were twenty minutes to eight, Padmé seemed to finally wake up. The vague and void expression on her face left. Worrying about being late to class was a great relief, since it got her to not dwell on her other worry…

 _You're going to see him in a few hours…_

Well, almost.

This was a class she hadn't been too excited about, no matter how nice the professor and her classmates had proven to be. It was a psychology course, and she had never been too interested in the subject. _Today might be different_ , she told herself.

She walked into the classroom, calling everyone's attention, first because she was late, and secondly because, well, she was Padmé Amidala and people tended to stop and look at her.

"Miss Amidala," the professor said before she could sit down.

 _Damn_ , she thought as she artfully glanced at the watch on her wrist. She was twenty three minutes late. She thought that no matter how nice this professor had proven to be, he would kick her out of class for arriving so late.

"Professor Clovis…" she said, looking down. "I'm sorry. I am aware of how late I am… I—I have no excuse. I'll try to be on time next class…"

She had already turned her back on him, and she had made move towards the door, but the young professor stopped her with a word, in a tone of voice a million times kinder than she had expected.

"Miss Amidala," Professor Rush Clovis said. "You're here already. I would advise you to take a sit and pay attention. And of course, do not repeat such action." He smiled at her and she had no choice but to reciprocate with a faint grin on her face.

She sat all the way in the back, hoping to become invisible in the crowd of students. Hoping to have a moment of peace, while focusing only on Clovis and his class. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not pay him any attention. The same words rang repeatedly in her aching head: _"I killed them. They're all dead! I killed them!"_

 _You're going to see him in a few hours…_

 _You're going to see him in a few hours…_

She only realized the lecture was over when she looked up from her haunting thoughts and found that the classroom was almost empty and it was just her and the professor. She stood up, embarrassed, but Professor Clovis stopped her again.

"Padmé Amidala," he said, shaking his head. "I take it that you don't enjoy my lecture very much."

He was a very handsome man, in his mid-thirties; black hair, dark green eyes. His countenance was the elegance and class of an Englishman. He was very polite and nice, so it hurt Padmé to hear him say something like that—even when it was true.

"Forgive me, sir…"

"Call me Clovis," he said, surprising her. Even though she was no freshman, she still couldn't get use to the treatment she received from her professors, so different from her high school teachers.

"Mr. Clovis," was the best she could give him without feeling strange. "It's not you… it's just—I haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Oh, why?" again he surprised her with his interest.

"Oh I don't want to bother you with my problems… they're not even problems it's just…"

"Please," he stopped her. He put his hands on her shoulders and took her to his chair. She sat, not thinking much about it, and he leaned on his desk, watching her very closely. She figured since he was such a great smart and experienced man he knew what he was doing and that was not, or she should not see it as unusual.

Yet she was reluctant to speak, she could do anything except stare at the floor. She wasn't sure what he wanted from her.

Clovis put his fingers on her chin, forcing her to stare into his eyes.

"Now, why do you think you've been having troubles sleeping?"

She started shaking. "I—I had a nightmare a few days ago," she said, very quietly.

She found it very strange when he smiled broadly. "Good," he said. "That gives us a start. Would you mind sharing your dream with me?"

She shook her head. "I don't remember it very well…"

He took her hands in his own. "I just want to help you, Padmé."

"Why?"

"I'm a psychologist. I'm naturally curious about the human mind and human behaviors."

 _Is he thinking of me like I was an experiment?_ She thought, almost annoyed. But perhaps, Clovis could actually help her.

She had convinced herself that the words she couldn't stop hearing in her head came from an awful nightmare, induced by her drunken self that Friday night. There was no way that actually happened…

"I dreamt a stranger called me, endlessly, without ever saying anything…"

"And?" he pressed when she stopped talking for some moments.

"Then when he spoke at last… he confessed a crime. A murder."

"Okay. Was the caller someone you knew?"

"No," she quickly denied.

"Interesting. Have you ever had a dream like that?"

"No."

"Have you any clue as to what caused it?"

She wasn't even embarrassed to admit it. She wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible. "I was really drunk."

His kind and comforting smile was erased. "Oh, I see."

There came a strange silence.

Padmé would've stood up to leave him, but he was blocking the way.

"I thought you were different…" he said at last.

"Professor?"

"You're brilliant, Padmé. I had higher expectations of you…."

He stared at her long enough to make her uncomfortable.

"It's not something I usually do," she lied. Why? Well, his scrutinizing gaze was burning her skin, making her feel like a naughty child. Her lie worked perfectly because his kind smile returned.

"Maybe you shouldn't get drunk again," he offered as advice.

"I assure you, I won't be doing that any time soon."

 _You're going to see him in a few hours…_

 _You're going to see him in a few hours…_

 _You're going to see him in a few hours…_

"Padmé?" he asked, shaking her arm softly.

"What?" she muttered.

"You seemed to be very into your thoughts," he said. "And you were quiet for a few minutes."

"I was?" she was shocked. And embarrassed. _Ugh!_ She felt so strange. _I need to act normal_ , she told herself. Why was that suddenly so hard?

"I'm sorry," it's all she could think to say.

"You have nothing to apologize for," he said, softly. "I was very entertained imagining your thoughts."

She didn't know why she found that statement so strange. It was at that moment that she realized he still had her hands between his own. Awkwardly she tried to pull away, but he didn't let her.

"If you ever need to talk to someone," he said, his voice turning into a whisper, the lower tone of voice causing him to put his face closer to hers, allowing her to feel his breath on her skin. "I'm here for you, Padmé."

Was that… seduction in his voice? Impossible! Padmé told herself. _He's a teacher and I'm the student. He'll never think of it…_ but oh dear God his face was almost brushing against her hair…!

 _This is so inappropriate! I have to stop it…_

"Padmé?" she heard someone at the door, causing her heart to stop for a few moments. "Professor Clovis?"

"Dormé!" Padmé cried.

The sight of another presence forced Clovis to step away from his student. He let out a long breath of air, picked up his papers and suitcase, gave a goodbye, and fled.

When he was gone, Padmé also breathed out, her flushed face becoming rested. She stood up and finally looked at her friend.

""Let's go," she said, feeling her friend's questioning eyes directly.

"Padmé," Dormé said, her surprise leaving her and her laugh finding her carefree voice. "What the fuck?"

Padmé turned crimson. "What?"

"Were you about to kiss Professor Clovis?"

"What?" she snapped. "Of course not!"

"I'm sorry," Dormé giggled again. "But it sure looked like it!"

"You're imagining things," Padmé looked down. "He's a teacher… he never would… I have a boyfriend!" she cried.

 _You're going to see him in a few hours…_

 _You're going to see him in a few hours…_

"Okay," Dormé accepted. "But those things don't prevent you from kissing that hot old man."

Padmé hated her for a second. "Of course they do—Dormé, you're such a slut!"

The girl laughed at the insult. "I never denied it. I least I have fun."

Padmé turned her back on her and left the classroom. Dormé went after her.

"You don't want to know why I was looking for you?" Dormé said, narrowing her eyes.

"No," Padmé walked faster.

"Fine," she said and continued to walk next to Padmé, having to race to actually keep up with her. "Okay, I'll tell you," she later said.

"I don't care," Padmé said, scornfully.

"You got a call," Dormé said and immediately Padmé stopped moving.

Padmé stood facing her, hating life more that her friend at the moment.

"Who?" she asked.

"Actually," Dormé corrected. "You got about a million calls."

"Goddamn it, just say it."

"It wasn't your boy—err fiancé."

She was too tired to yell at her for getting on her nerves.

"First," Dormé said. "His sister called." She was talking about Ahsoka, Anakin's adoptive sister. "Then, his Uncle Qui-Gon."

"Uh?" Padmé wasn't expecting them of all people. "And Anakin?"

"No."

Her heart started to race. She had been dreading hearing his voice again, and now she would give anything to hear him, no matter in which state or what words he said.

Her stupid dream had gotten her thinking foolish things that could never happen.

"Did something happen to him?" she cried, her voice shaking, tears streaming down her face, and her legs trembling.

"I don't know," Dormé said, quietly and without expressing any emotion.

Padmé ran to her house, leaving Dormé standing and speaking to herself.

When she entered the place she almost stumbled a dozen times on the long staircase, she actually scratched her knee, but she ignored the physical pain, as a deeper one was starting to kill her.

When she was on her room she destroyed her desk as she tried to find her phone book, then she ran for the phone. It trembled in her hands.

First she called Mr. Qui-Gon, and he didn't answer.

Then she called Shmi Skywalker, and there was also no answer.

Growing desperate, she threw herself on the floor and sobbed, imagining the worst.

Like that she stayed for a long time, till to her great surprise, the phone in her room rang.

"Anakin?" she cried before the caller could speak.

"No, Padmé," she heard and the person speaking was crying.

"Ahsoka?" Padmé was disappointed but relieved at the same time. "What's going on?" she dreaded to hear the answer.

When the teenager managed to get herself together and actually speak, she just caused Padmé to be in a similar nervous state. "Is Anakin alright?" Padmé quickly asked.

Tears prevented the teenager from speaking coherently. After a long time, she said: "Mother's dead!"

The phone in Padmé's hand finally fell into the floor.

* * *

 **AN: No romance or horror in this chapter :(**

 **The next ones are filled with that so I hope you can wait.**

 **And oh yeah, Clovis is in this, and he's British for no reason… I will just give a hint and say he is NOT the first one to be murdered.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Night was approaching fast; just behind the crowd of people, Padmé could see the sun was about to go down.

The natural event caused bloodshot shades of red on the Carson City sky, making Padmé miss the usual LA sunsets she was so accustomed to. It was a great difference to say goodbye to a day by watching the bright sun hide behind the clear blue sea, as opposed to Nevada's tall mountains.

The fact that she was standing in a cemetery definitely contributed to the sick feeling inside her belly. A feeling she could not account for…

She could lay the blame of her pain on the fact that Shmi Skywalker was so soon taken, and on her son's face of grieve; she could blame her constant shudders on the place in which she currently was, that place where the dead slept; and of course, on the closed coffin she was so carefully watching. Yet she could not find an answer to the great fear inside her heart. It was senseless, to her; it was stupid, irrational, mad… and she could not get rid of it.

As she held Anakin's hand, she hated herself for the fact that she was not providing any comfort to him.

Why, oh why did she have to act so weird right now out of any other time?

 _She_ was the one who needed comfort. A strong shoulder to cry on. A loving partner. A comforting voice. But she couldn't ask that from Anakin at the moment.

The young man was quiet, pale, sad… he just stood in front of the grave without ever letting go of Padmé's hand, squeezing her without noticing.

The two lovers watched silently as a last goodbye was said, as the coffin was completely covered in dirt and dust.

People, the few who had come, started making move to leave; scattering around the earth, making way for the deceased resting place. Padmé would've also moved to the car, to finally escape that place, but her hand was still clasped to a statue. As her lover didn't move. She almost said something, but the words died in her lips before she could find the courage to pronounce them.

They stood in front of Shmi's tomb for several minutes. Minutes that felt like years in Padmé's aching head.

Now there was no light coming from the sky.

Black was the night, and soon enough, cold as death.

The wind played with their shiny locks of hair, taking away all tears that managed to escape.

"Guys," they heard behind them, causing Padmé to finally let go of Anakin's hand, as she jumped at the sudden voice. "Sorry, dear," Mr. Qui-Gon Jinn said, softly. "I didn't mean to frighten you, I thought you heard us."

Padmé couldn't blame him, it had been days since she listened to anything else than her own messed up thoughts. "It's okay," she assured him.

"Anakin," Ahsoka said, her sweet teenage face red from all past shed tears, standing next to their uncle. "It's so dark and cold now… come one. Let's go home."

"Home?" Anakin muttered in a raspy voice. A voice that had not spoken in days. "How is it home if she's not there anymore?"

Qui-Gon rubbed his aged forehead, tiredly. "Come on, boy." He took Anakin's arm and forced him to walk towards the car. The two girls followed them. Qui-Gon drove Anakin, while Padmé took Ahsoka home in her own car.

When they got there, they all sat on the living room; Ahsoka laying her head on her adoptive brother's shoulder. Uncle Qui-Gon resting on a large chair, Padmé standing on a lonely corner, hearing the same words she always heard lately.

" _I killed them! They're all dead! I killed them!"_

" _I killed them! They're all dead! I killed them!"_

" _I killed them! They're all dead! I killed them!"_

She closed her eyes and shook her head, thankful that no Skywalker noticed her strange behavior, her anger at herself only growing.

"Padmé," someone at last acknowledged her, later. It was Qui-Gon. "My dear, you must be starving. Do you want something to eat?"

She shook her head, embarrassed. "No, thank you."

"I'm starving," Ahsoka cried. "But I don't want to cook."

"You're gonna have to!" Anakin cried, removing his little sister from his side, almost viciously.

"I know that, Anakin!" Ahsoka yelled at him, tears again finding her sad eyes.

"Come on," Padmé then said. "I will cook something for you, honey."

"Don't," Anakin pretty much commanded, but with so little strength he only laid his head back again and closed his eyes, seemingly not caring about what they did.

Padmé took advantage of that and motioned Ahsoka to follow her to the kitchen.

As she prepared tea and sandwiches, Padmé couldn't help the dark feeling that continued attacking her mind, till it showed in her face.

"What the hell are you thinking about?" Ahsoka asked her, her mouth full with bread and her voice keeping that shaky quality of someone who's been crying for days.

Padmé looked down, guiltily. "Your mother…" she confessed.

Ahsoka swallowed. "Do you know yet?" she muttered, putting away all food.

Padmé's mind wandered to strange places. "Know what?"

"About how… how she died."

Padmé shook her head no.

"Anakin didn't tell you? I am not surprised. He definitely took it the hardest… as he was the one who found her."

"How?" Padmé's curiosity gained the best of her, erasing all previous sensibility and tact she had been using. "How did your mother die?"

Ahsoka bit her nails. "It was the day Anakin first came to see us," she begun. "Mom went alone to the supermarket to make a great dinner for my brother. I am not sure exactly what happened…. She wasn't here when I came from school. I at first didn't find that odd. Anakin arrived at around seven, and mother was still gone. We waited till around midnight, and that's when we couldn't take it anymore. We called the police but they said it was too soon for us to report her as missing. The bastards! Sorry. Anakin freaked out in the police station—he even frightened me! He sent me home alone. He—he went to find her by himself. I was so afraid and alone, Padme! And the next evening, Anakin finally arrived home; it was at around midnight, so I was in bed. I heard noise and went downstairs, and what I found… Oh, my God! I saw Anakin with mother, _dead_ , on his arms!" at this point in her story, Ahsoka couldn't hold it anymore, and she broke down in tears.

When she recovered, she went on, "She was covered in blood," her voice was barely above a whisper. "And Anakin's clothes were also stained… with blood! I swear, Padmé. I almost died right there!"

Padmé started pacing around the kitchen, pulling at her hair, bursting in tears and strange sobs. "Oh Anakin! Did—did he…?" she couldn't finish her question. She'd rather stab herself than doing that.

She brusquely grabbed Ahsoka's arms, cornering her, asking, "What happened to Shmi? Ahsoka, please!"

The teen took a moment to calm herself. "It was a gang fight!"

Her statement threw Padmé off. That was the last thing she expected. "What?" she stumbled. "What?"

"I suppose there was a gang fight and she… Padmé don't make me say it! They hurt mother!"

Padmé took a few moments to think about everything Ahsoka said. "And were they arrested?" she asked, surprisingly more put together.

Ahsoka shook her head, nervously. "They were found dead the next day."

" _I killed them! They're all dead! I killed them!"_

" _I killed them! They're all dead! I killed them!"_

" _I killed them! They're all dead! I killed them!"_

 _I have to get out of here!_ Padmé thought crazily. Being in Shmi's home just keeping images and thoughts of death within her.

"Padmé? Are you alright—"Ahsoka was no longer cornered; she was now all that was supporting Padmé Amidala, as she almost fell into the ground.

Padmé tried with all her strength to remain standing, but before she could realize what was happening, her world went black.

The next time she opened her eyes she was in a small bed, and the three Skywalkers she knew were circled around her, looking worried and pained.

"Thank God!" Anakin cried when Padmé regained consciousness. "My love, you really scared me!" he said. _I scared you? "_ Don't worry, we will wait till tomorrow to go back home."

Padmé's eyes went wide. "No," she almost begged. "I think we should go now," she said. "I don't want to lose more classes. Please, my love."

"Alright," he accepted with a sigh. "I was hoping to take Ahsoka…"

"I'll drive her tomorrow," Qui-Gon said. "I was gonna wait a few days to gather all her things. But I can come back in a week."

Ahsoka turned her back on everyone, clearly she hated the fact that she had to leave her home, now that she was orphaned, and move to another state. Qui-Gon had already decided on taking her to live with him in LA, and though Ahsoka raged at the beginning, she knew she hadn't any other choice. It was really a hard time for everyone…

"So it's decided," Anakin said. "Padmé and I will drive to California now, and you take Ahsoka tomorrow?"

"Sounds good," Qui-Gon accepted.

"Till then, uncle," Anakin hugged him, long and tight. "Goodbye, Snips," he held his sister and kissed the top of her head. "My love?" he called Padmé.

As she gathered all her things and said her goodbyes, Padmé focused only on the fact that she was going home. It wasn't until she got on the car with Anakin and saw the black night ahead of them in the lonely highway, that she realized the trouble she suddenly had breathing.

Being alone with Anakin now caused that.

She was very thankful that he was not in the mood to have a conversation; she looked through her window, out to the desert landscape, wishing to jump from the car or be able of guessing Anakin's thoughts. In the end, she just kept her cool.

The way was long, longer than Padmé remembered it, so when at last he parked the car in front of her sorority house, now another night and a Friday, she released a great long breath of hot air, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Anakin.

"Is something wrong?" he asked her, narrowing his eyes.

She blinked many times. "No… I—I am just tired. I can't wait to go to sleep."

He released a strange chuckle. "I feel like that's the last thing you're gonna do."

"Uh?" she backed away in her seat. "W—what do you mean?"

"Listen to that noise, Padmé?" he said, opening the door for her, allowing her to hear the loud music coming from the house. "Sounds like they're having a party…"

Padmé again released air in relief. "Yes. I'm sorry, I know you wanted to spend the night with me-if you want," she said, not sounding very convinced. "I can spend the night in your room."

"No," he said. "It's Friday, love. There's probably a party there, too. So there is no point. Go, try to rest, and I'll see you tomorrow. Okay?"

"Okay." She accepted and tried to walk out of the car. A strong hand grabbed her, preventing her from leaving.

"What?" she asked, trembling.

"You forgot to kiss me goodbye," he smiled.

She laughed nervously and leaned back to kiss him. After an all too passionate kiss, she walked into her house; foolishly thinking that at last she'll have a moment of peace. In reality, entering that sorority house was the beginning of the end for Padmé's sanity, and life. Had she known what was coming, she would've never crossed that door.

* * *

"Padmé Amidala!" Came the loud cry of joy when she entered Kappa Kappa Delta. A drunk, blurry voice she knew to be her roommate, and as of lately, least favorite friend.

"Hi, Dormé," Padmé said weakly, her voice dying behind the loud music.

"What?" Dormé cried, running to her side. "It's so good to see you again!" she pressed Padmé's cheeks till they turned red and hurt.

Dormé balanced herself on her friend's arms, till she clumsily tripped, taking Padmé down with her on the floor.

The drunk sorority sister laughed for a long time, while Padmé struggled to get rid of her to get up again. "Stop it!" Padmé cried angrily. "Leave me alone!"

Dormé just grabbed her more tightly.

As she fought her friend on the floor, Padmé felt as something licked on her legs and feet, at first she was startled, till she managed to turn around and see two beautiful puppies. She couldn't actually hear their small barking, so loud was the noise and music in that sorority, but she imagined it, which almost took away all her anger and past woes. She let them both on top of her, tears of happiness almost reaching her sad eyes. "Artoo! Threepio!" she cried, clasping them both under her arms.

The smaller one was her own, a Yorkshire terrier she called Artoo; the slightly bigger one was a cocker spaniel, and he belonged to Anakin, as mentioned he was called Threepio.

As of lately the little dogs had been left under the care of Anakin's uncle Qui-Gon, but since the old man had to driven to Nevada to Shmi's funeral, and he had no one else to keep an eye on them, Padmé left them, seemingly concealed, with her two roommates.

"It's good to see you took care of them like I asked you," Padmé cried, sarcastically, finally getting up and helping Dormé do that too.

She looked down, "Sorry, I must've left the door open…"

Each girl took a dog in their arms and started walking towards their bedroom. Hoping to reach it in time before getting caught, of course, that's just what happened.

"Oh, shit," Dormé muttered, now upstairs.

"Girls," the house mother said, in a reproving manner. "What are you doing with those animals?"

The noise was somewhat less in that hallway, yet they still had to speak up.

"They're mine…" Padmé said. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Mothma. It's just that I had no one else to take care of them."

"It's good to see you again, Padmé," Mrs. Mon Mothma said. "I hope everything turned fine during your… trip."

Padmé nodded, sadly. "As fine as you could expect from a funeral."

Mothma looked compassionately at her. "I'm sorry, my dear. But rules are rules. You cannot have pets in here."

Padmé turned pleading eyes on her. "Please, Mrs. Mothma! I've had some really rough days; I could really use the company of my dogs! Please, don't tell anyone! Oh let me have them for a few days!"

Mothma seemed to consider that request for a few moments; Padmé could tell she was angry at herself when she answered. "Forgive me, dear. I want those dogs out of here, by tomorrow."

Mothma turned around to leave them, and walked into her own bedroom.

"Old bitch," Dormé muttered when she and Padmé entered their room.

Padmé threw herself on her bed, letting a hand fall so her small pets could reach her; she caressed both, faintly smiling.

"You know," Dormé said, speaking now more coherently. "We could keep them here without letting her know. After all, they were here for a week and she never even noticed… Padmé?" she turned to see her. "Goddamn, don't cry!"

"I'm sorry," Padmé couldn't help herself. "I really wish they could stay. Why does Mothma have to be so cruel? Why can't I keep my babies? I really need them—!"

"Padmé, stop crying!" Dormé lay on the bed next to her. "The old fool won't even notice, don't worry."

Padmé cleaned her face, though her tears did come from the fact that she didn't want to separate from her pets, there were other things hurting her…

"Why don't you come down to the party?" Dormé asked and all the bad feelings Padmé had hold against her were already erased. "It'll make you feel better."

"No," Padmé quickly denied. "I'm tired. It was a really long week, you know. And a long drive…"

Dormé nodded, understandingly, kissed her cheek and went back to the party.

Now all alone, Padmé turned all the lights off, she took her day clothes off, and put on a light short nightgown. She could still hear the noise from the party, but she ignored it.

She stood by the window looking at the night sky. From her room, she could see the ocean, and above it, the bright LA stars and moon.

"I missed Los Angeles so much…" she said, glancing at the dogs that sat by her sides. "And you guys, of course!" she cried, getting on her knees, reaching for the two little heads and kissing them. "I can't believe you guys have to go," she muttered sadly. "I hope Anakin at least gets the chance of seeing you again…" at the mention of her boyfriend, she got up and stopped any soft happy feeling that her pets had started. She again dropped her body on the mattress, and her weariness finally begin taken stole of her. She closed her eyes, she was falling asleep, when—

"Artoo! Threepio!" she cried. "Stop it!"

The two puppies were barking loudly, louder than Padmé had ever heard them.

She turned on a lamp and saw that they were biting and scratching at her closet. "Stop that!" she ordered but they didn't listen. They kept their strange actions, barking, biting, and scratching at her closet door. She was so tired and sick of everything, she just wanted to go to sleep.

"Please guys," she begged tiredly. "I want to sleep!"

Artoo and Threepio didn't stop.

Padmé then looked at her closet door, and a strange feeling reached her. Her dogs didn't have the custom of barking at nothing; they only barked at people…

"There's no one there," she said, pushing her dogs away. "Come on, guys…" she stared at the closet door one last time, and now, a strange cold shudder ran down her spine.

Without knowing why, she felt terrified. She hid under the covers of her bed, with each puppy by her side. They trembled as much as she did, till at last, they all fell asleep.

Padmé had left the window opened, letting the chilly night wind in the room, messing with her hair, and hurting her with its frightful coldness. As if caring for her comfort, the dark shadow of the night closed the window for her. It stared at the sweet scene of the young girl with her small pets for a long time, and finally walked out, closing the door behind him.

* * *

The party grew wild, the young girls and boys incredibly intoxicated now.

Dormé danced, grinding herself against a man she didn't even know what was called. The young man kissed her neck hungrily, tasting her hot skin and releasing moans that were lost under the loud music and the other noises coming from the screaming Frat boys.

Without realizing it, she was being dragged across the floor, till they reach the stairway, where the guy almost drop her, as it was hard to go up with the almost fainted girl in his arms.

When they had reached the bedroom, Dormé gained a little bit of consciousness. "Wait," she said. "We can't go into my room," she said.

The guy groaned angrily. "Why the fuck not?" he muttered, his voice as drunk and incoherent as Dormé's.

She laughed. "My roommate is sleeping… and she's not feeling well."

"We can be quiet," the frat boy offered.

She laughed again. "Maybe you can. I can't. Come on, let's find another room."

As they walked looking for a room, Dormé sang happily, feeling the man's strong body supporting her, she could almost feel the pleasure he would bring to her; she could almost hear the moans he'd make her release… but wait. She actually heard moans. Oh, she was hearing them clearly, coming from the least expected bedroom.

"Holy shit," she laughed, getting the guy's attention.

"What?" he asked.

She ran and stood behind a large door.

"It's that where we're gonna do it?" the guy asked.

Her laugh was now as loud as the music. "Yeah, right," she commented. "That's our house mother's bedroom!" she said, without hiding her great shock. "Do you hear? Man, Old Mothma is loud!"

* * *

Mrs. Mon Mothma had gone into her bedroom after scolding her two girls, one of them her favorite (Padmé, of course) with a large feeling of guilt burdening her shoulders. As she got ready for bed, she couldn't help but feeling she had acted too severely towards Miss Amidala, after all, the poor girl was just returning from a funeral and long journey. She decided that tomorrow, she would allow Padmé to keep her dogs for a few days, at least, till the girl recovered from the great sadness she was currently carrying.

She was deep in sleep, her slumber being quiet and void of dreams, till the heat of the night made her suddenly open her eyes. But, that didn't seem right; wasn't that fall evening very cold? She remembered it had been… and how strange, when she opened her eyes, in spite of having left one lamp on, she couldn't see anything…

She couldn't breathe… then she realized, she was dying!

When she could grasp the idea of what was happening, she tried to fight back, she tried to get her wide pillow off her smothered face, but the hands that were pressing her were too strong. When her strength was at last so weak she couldn't move anymore, the attacker threw the pillow away, allowing her to finally see.

But she could not see the face of the man who was about to murder her.

She only saw a strange dark shadow, a form she could barely distinguish to be a tall man, he was hooded, leathered, all in black. She barely managed to see a pair of bright crazy eyes, and a twisted mouth that was dripping saliva as he groaned.

She cried and cried as the Shadow's big hands wrapped around her neck, giving her enough freedom and air to release loud moans of pain.

* * *

Dormé grabbed the hand of the boy she was going to have sex with that night, she kissed him and walked, and as she did so, she said, mostly to herself, still laughing, "She's even louder than me!"

* * *

 **AN** : And so it begins…

I had to re-write this chapter since I accidently deleted it—hope it turned out okay.

Not very fun fact: I was recently at a terrible party in which an old lady kept screaming she wanted to get rid of my friend's dogs—nobody hurt her, though, I'm sure :)

Thanks for reading! Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Never mind the fact that it was fall and supposed to be cold; morning in LA was simply cool and still sunny that 1972 Saturday of late September; the sorority sisters of Kappa Kappa Delta ate their breakfast together, smiling and joking. Most of them incredibly hangover.

Padmé was of the few who actually looked better than in the night before; sleep had done wonders to her previous tired and sad face.

She ate, and smiled at her friends, for the first time in days, sincerely; the change of environment had changed her drastically. Great difference going from a family in mourning to a bunch of happy and carefree college girls.

The sound of two puppies only increased the ease of her heart, but only for a few seconds, as then all feelings mixed and became anger.

"Goddamn, Dormé!" she cried. "She must've left the door open again."

One of the sorority sisters, the younger one, Teckla Minnau, grabbed Artoo and laid him on her lap. "Do they really have to go?" she asked, softly and sadly. "I was really enjoying them, Padmé."

Padmé smiled at the younger girl. "Yes, Teckla. I'm sorry about that. But Mrs. Mothma was very clear last night."

Both girls sighed. Then Teckla went on, "Maybe we can convince her. Where is she anyway?"

Padmé's face looked curious for some time. "I don't know," she said. "It is weird that she didn't come down to have breakfast. Maybe she got up before all of us?"

Teckla shook her head. "Impossible," she said. "I got up around five and I cleaned around. I didn't hear any noise."

"You got up at five?" Cordé laughed. "Jesus, Teckla. I think at that time we were all just falling asleep!"

Every girl but Padmé laughed at Teckla.

She was just nineteen years old, and she had promised her parents she wouldn't drink or take any drugs—she'd just focus on getting an education and make friends, and surprisingly, she had live up to her parents' expectations. She was a sweet girl, Padmé thought and she was right. Teckla usually slept as soon as Kappa Kappa Delta's parties started.

And so, she was an easy target for the wilder girls's teasing.

"Leave her alone, Cordé!" Padmé quickly defended the poor girl from her roommate's cruelty. "Not all of us have to be party animals."

Cordé shrugged. "Speaking of party animals," she then said. "Where is Dormé?"

"I don't know," Padmé said. "She didn't sleep in our room last night."

"Yes, I noticed," Cordé said. "But shouldn't she be back by now? She usually comes back hungry."

The sorority sisters laughed again.

"I'm gonna go look for her," Cordé kept her smile. "She's probably passed out somewhere."

"If you see Mrs. Mothma," Teckla called her before she could leave the breakfast room. "Tell her I want to speak to her."

"You want to beg for the cute puppies?" Cordé said in a kiddy voice that was mocking Teckla's sweetness and innocence.

"No," Teckla said, offended. "I want to tell her I'll be doing a trip next weekend. It's my dad's birthday and I want to spend time with him and my family in Malibu."

"How sweet!" Cordé mocked and laughed as she left.

* * *

Cordé knocked and entered every room of the second floor crying Dormé's name. "Come on, you slut, you missed breakfast!" she laughed and screamed. "Dormé!"

Another empty room.

"Dormé!"

She was growing tired of looking for her.

At last, there was one room she hadn't knocked or entered. Their House Mother's room.

"Mrs. Mothma," she called and knocked on the door. "Mrs. Mothma, are you there?"

She thought she might enter it, maybe the old lady was still sleeping; while it wasn't like Mothma to sleep till noon, she usually woke up very tired when they had a party. She slowly turned the door knob, she opened it, but before entering—

The loud ringing of a phone made her jump, startled. "Oh my God!" she cried and then laughed at herself. She closed Mothma's door and followed the noise. It came from her own bedroom.

"Hello?" she said as she picked up the phone.

There was no answer.

"Hello?" she pressed, not yet annoyed. "Who's there?"

The noise died but no words came.

Just some odd, loud, unsteady breathing sound.

"Dormé? Is that you?" she asked. "Bitch, where are you? Are you hangover? I feel like shit," she laughed. The breathing sound grew louder.

Cordé got tired of the silence, so she hung up.

She sat on her bed, but before getting comfortable, the phone rang again.

She sat on the floor and picked up the phone. "Hello?" she greeted. Again, no words and a loud breathing. "Goddamn, it's you again!" she cried, annoyed. "If you know how to use a phone you should know how to speak," she snarled.

New sounds came. The breathing never ceased. Cordé felt a strange shudder down her spine.

"She's dead," the caller said and groaned. "Dead. Dead. Dead." The voice was unfamiliar, odd, shrilled, strained, masculine.

"What the hell?" Cordé stammered. She got up, without letting go of the phone, and she saw, standing on the door, a white face that made her scream. "Oh my God!" she cried, putting away the phone. "Padmé, you scared me!"

Padmé's eyes crowded with teas, she walked to her roommate with an odd energy surrounding her. "Hang up the phone," she ordered with a face void of expression. "Cordé, hang up the phone!"

"Just a second," Cordé said. "I think it's a prank call."

Padmé tried to take the phone into her hands but Cordé didn't let her. "Just hear this, Padmé," Cordé said, all previous shudders disappeared, and she laughed. "What the…"

The caller was now groaning as if he was… Good God! As if he were pleasuring himself! And as if that action hurt him.

"Seriously, what the hell!" Cordé laughed. She put the phone on her ear again. "Listen man, there are special lines you can call for those… calls. This is a Christian home. Get the fuck out of here with that shit!"

"Dead. Dead. Dead." The caller repeated, groaned, and hung up.

"That was weird," Cordé said.

Padmé laid herself on her bed, and wiped away tears.

"I couldn't find Dormé," Cordé then said. "Maybe she's in some frat boy's room. Oh and I think Mothma is still sleeping."

Padmé didn't answer.

"I have no plans for tonight," Cordé said, standing by the door. "Do you want to go see a movie?"

Padmé didn't answer.

"Whatever. I'm gonna go find Dormé. Maybe old Mothma knows if she went out. See you later, honey!"

* * *

Padmé appreciated the loneliness she had in her room for the moment, with closed eyes, she allowed her mind to be free for some time.

She was so tired of thinking… she wanted to be at ease. So she thought of nothing. Not on the love of her life and future husband. Not on the recent funeral she attended and the information she learned afterwards. Not on the caller's strange voice and sounds. Not on her friends. Not on her family… Not on nothing—

Then, she thought of something, but it was a pleasant thought—thank God.

She thought of her dogs, as she felt a moist feeling on her shoulder. "Artoo?" she asked without opening her eyes, truly thinking her dog was there licking her. "If you bark now you might kill me," she darkly joked.

"Woof," she heard and her heart almost stopped as she opened her eyes.

She gasped.

"Please don't die," a seductive whisper froze her and she remained where she was, lying on her small bed.

"Ah—Ani…" she stammered.

"Not who you were expecting?" he whispered, getting on the bed, positioning himself on top of her, holding her prisoner. He took each of Padmé's hands between his own, extending his arms around the bed. He laid his head on hers, smelled her hair, sweetly for a second, before he finally put his lips on her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, catching his breath. "You're trembling."

She truly was… "Anakin, what are you doing here?"

He kissed her mouth hungrily, stealing her breath away. He then descended, placing small pecks on her neck, breasts, till he reached her stomach, there, he softly stroked her blouse, till he removed it. "Isn't it obvious?" he laughed quietly.

"Oh…" she moaned when the feeling of his mouth on her skin was too much.

"I've missed you, Padmé!" he cried, passionately.

It had been so long… since the night he proposed they hadn't been together—not like that.

Padmé's sanity seemed to be abandoning her; she roughly pushed Anakin away, but only for a second, getting the space necessary to take his shirt off. She pushed him away again, but only to get herself on top of him; his face gained a quality of arousal and excitement as he guessed what Padmé was thinking of doing. "I love you," he said, helping her get on top. That only fueled Padmé's actions even further. She begun kissing his neck, even biting him as she descended to lick his abs, she moaned as she did that, feeling his skin so freely again giving her the happiness she for so long had lacked… Anakin grabbed her tightly, so tightly a bit of pain mixed in her pleasure, he pressed her to his own body, he pulled at her hair, he—

There was a knock on the door, and before Anakin and Padmé could tell the person off, a sorority sister entered the bedroom.

"Hey, Padmé, do you know if Mrs. Mothma … Oh my God!" Teckla cried, covering her eyes with her hands, very much ashamed.

 _Shit_ , Padmé thought, embarrassed. She quickly collected her blouse and threw it on; she pulled the covers to hide Anakin's half naked body.

"I'm so sorry!" the younger girl cried without removing her hands from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Padmé!" she turned around to leave the room, and as she was covering her face, she almost tripped.

A small grin reached Padmé as she freed herself from Anakin's arms and ran to Teckla.

"Careful," she said, walking Teckla around the hallway outside. "You might fall."

"I'm sorry, Teckla repeated, her cheeks sparkling with a violent crimson shade.

"It's alright," Padmé assured her. "It's not your fault… I should've locked the door," she smiled. "What do you need, Teckla?"

"Oh, it's nothing—"

"Come on, tell me. You said something about Mrs. Mothma?"

"Yes, she looked down as she spoke. "My father wants to talk to her on the phone. But I can't find her."

"She's not in her room?"

"No."

"Hmm…"

"Padmé?" Anakin walked behind the girls, his shirt still off.

Teckla, who usually was still oblivious to male beauty and charms, couldn't help but to raise her glance and stare at Anakin Skywalker. When the young man's gaze met hers, Teckla looked down again.

"Are you coming back?" Anakin asked with a grin.

Padmé cleared her throat. "Just a minute, Ani."

Anakin sighed and walked back into the bedroom.

His muscular back caught Teckla's attention.

Padmé noticed the effect her handsome boyfriend caused on the young girl, and while she usually would've exploded with jealousy, she found it very sweet in Teckla.

"I can talk to your dad if you want," Padmé offered.

"Thank, but he wants to speak with our house mother. Don't worry about it; I'm sure Mrs. Mothma is just out shopping. She's probably coming back soon. I'll let you go back to your… your boyfriend." She blushed.

Padmé also blushed and laughed. She went back into her bedroom.

What she found there instantly took away her good mood.

Anakin was dressed again, and he looked like he was ready to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?" Padmé asked, throwing her arms around his neck.

He kissed her softly. "I have something to do," he said and held her tightly.

"Ugh," Padmé complained. "Right now?"

"I know… I know…" he sighed and laughed. "I won't be long. Hey, what do you say if I come and pick you up tonight? We can have a date night like we used to."

"That sounds lovely. Just for one thing. I don't want you to go!"

She pushed him back into the bed and threw herself on him.

He gasped. "I don't want to go either," he said as Padmé passed her hands down his strong arms.

"Then don't—"

"I'll be on time."

She giggled. "That sounds unlikely."

He removed her from his body and walked to the door. "How would you like to see a movie tonight?" he asked, smiling with his beautiful boyish charm.

She smiled back at him. "Sounds great. Only if the date ends with you on top of me," she boldly said and giggled again.

"Most definitely," he winked and left.

* * *

Cordé had continued her search for her friend and roommate after leaving Padmé alone on their bedroom. For some reason, the girl had the gut feeling that Dormé was definitely in the house.

But since she had looked at every room in that wide sorority house, she was starting to give up. Or she was growing adventurous?

As she walked for the third time around the hallway of the second floor, she heard some strange noise coming from upstairs; she then remembered her friend was quite crazy. "Stupid, Dormé," she muttered to herself when she looked at the stairway leading to the attic.

On the first Christmas they had spent at Kappa Kappa Delta, Dormé got so drunk she disappeared from everyone's sight, and the next day, they found her asleep in her own vomit in the attic. Could she have done that again?

Well, wouldn't hurt to look.

She first went to get a lamp, since there was no switch in the attic as far as she remembered. When she entered it, she walked around the narrow darkness, calling Dormé and hitting herself with the many things that were there scattered. There was a great mess of dusty cobwebs; Cordé quickly dropped the lamp as she tried to remove it from her hair. She got on her knees to pick it up, when she heard the strange noise from before.

It was a rocking chair. Someone was most definitely there.

"Stupid bitch," Cordé said. "You are here!"

The young girl walked steadily towards the other corner of the room, the rocking chair was backwards to her, so she had to turn it around.

She did that with a little difficulty; when at last she was face to face to the person on the rocking chair, she just pointed the light at her for some time. Completely frozen, Cordé stood in silence for a few seconds.

Slowly… oh so slowly, tears fell down her tanned cheeks.

The light showed her a face, a female one—but not the one she had been looking for and expecting.

She saw a pale face, a pair of blue-green eyes that were permanently opened. Reddish strands of hair falling down the sides of the corpse.

When she could take it all in, Cordé released a great scream of fear and shock.

The sustained screaming lasted for maybe five or seven seconds, till the _person_ rocking the chair rose from the shadows. He stood and watched Cordé for a few moments, Cordé put the light on his face, another loud scream escaped her lips as she did that, now her strength had ran out, and she dropped the lamp on the floor.

The utter darkness only made her scream louder.

"She's dead," the killer said, oddly calm. "Dead. Dead. Dead."

Cordé tried to run away, but the killer pulled at her hair; he roughly pushed her to the window, where if someone was looking from outside, they would've seen clearly how he murdered her.

No one did. Only _he_ did.

He had grabbed a knife earlier from the kitchen; he now was using it on his screaming victim.

He slashed at her stomach, endlessly pulling the knife in and out, somehow without getting blood on his black cloak; only the knife was bloody, and of course, Cordé's now lifeless body on the floor.

He stared at the scene of the crime for a long time, then he walked to the phone on the corner; but this time, he wouldn't call, he would see her.

* * *

 **AN:** I think the rating is still alright… is it?

Thanks for reading! Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Happy Halloween!**

 **Kinda sad I couldn't finish this in the time I originally planned, but I think five chapters in less than a month is pretty good! Not much left, I think. I hope you enjoy this! =) I think this chapter is more creepy than it is scary—Idk**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Padmé sat in front of her wide mirror, softly brushing her hair and finishing her makeup; her reflection giving her a pleasant feeling.

It had been a long time since she last felt so good; her mind at the moment focused in simple things—like making herself prettier for her boyfriend.

She was making sure the black line over her eyelid was perfect—that always proved to be a challenge for her. She had the radio on, _She's not There_ by _The Zombies_ was playing; that song was already old and a classic by the year 1972, and Padmé knew the lyrics by heart.

Behind the music and her own singing she could hear Artoo and Threepio's soft barking, which only contributed to making her good mood grow.

She was now putting on lipstick, the song was almost over… then it ended. And no new song followed. That was weird, Padmé thought.

Artoo and Threepio also stopped their cute barking.

The new silence took quite a lot from Padmé's good mood. She ignored the sudden shudders that begin attacking her; she saw only her pretty face in the mirror, one eye had more blue shadow, she tried to fix it; she did it, everything seemed just fine… then—

"Buh!" a loud cry came behind her, just as another face showed in the mirror.

Padmé screamed and stained her face with the eye shadow.

"Goddamn!" she cried when she recovered from the surprise.

The silence died as a young joyous laugh covered the room.

"You're the most annoying person in the world," Padmé said, cleaning the blue stain on her cheek. Her friend laughed and helped her.

"But you love me nonetheless," Dormé said, smiling comfortably.

"Where have you been?" Padmé asked.

Dormé's smile grew. "Actual heaven," she said. "I think I might be falling in love," she giggled.

"I assumed that much," Padmé smiled. "You should've called us, though. Cordé's been looking for you all day."

"Really? Well, she did a terrible job then."

"So who's the lucky man?"

"I am not telling."

"You don't remember his name, do you?"

Dormé barely blushed. "I think it rhymes with Tyron—whatever. Are you going out?"

"Yes. I have a date with Anakin."

"Cool. You could look better though."

Padmé barely looked offended. "Well, this is why I usually ask Cordé to do my makeup. She's way better than me."

"Where is she anyway? Is she in the house?"

"I don't know."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. It was another sorority sister.

"Padmé?" Teckla's shy voice was heard. "Can I come in?"

Padmé blushed at the memory of what happened earlier. "Yes, Teckla. The way is clear now," she laughed.

"Oh, hi Dormé," Teckla greeted.

Dormé glanced and smiled at the younger girl in acknowledgement.

"Have you seen Mrs. Mothma?" Teckla sounded almost irritated. "My dad keeps calling and he's getting angry. He's thinking of driving here to speak to her!"

"Why?" Padmé asked.

"Well, he must think our house mother is like our baby sitter. He thinks Mrs. Mothma shouldn't disregard us so much."

"I am surprised she hasn't returned yet," Padmé said.

Dormé listened to the conversation in silence; her face little by little gaining a quality of shock.

"Oh my God!" she then cried. "Padmé, Teckla, call all the girls in the house! Now!"

"Why?" they both asked Dormé.

"I need everyone to be here before I speak. Oh hurry or I might explode!"

Padmé and Teckla did as Dormé asked them. They called every girl and they all got together in the living room, waiting for whatever it was Dormé was about to tell them. The only missing one was Cordé—

"You all must be seated for this," Dormé announced when her sorority sisters demanded her to speak at last. "Girls, this is huge! Oh I've been dying to tell you guys about this!"

"Oh just say it," Padmé pressed. "I have to finish getting ready for my date."

"This might kill some of you," Dormé said, speaking in a serious voice that amused some of her friends, while it annoyed another ones, one of them Padmé. "Teckla, cover your ears. You shouldn't listen to this."

Teckla looked down, embarrassed, hating that once again she was the target for someone's teasing.

"No one has seen old Mon since last night's party. Right?"

The girls nodded.

"I think I might have an idea of where she is. Well, not exactly where, but I do know…"

"Goddamn, Dormé, just say it!" Padmé was now truly out of patience.

"She's with a man!" Dormé cried, unsure of how else she could share her _gossip_. "I heard her last night! Good God, I heard Mothma having sex!"

There was a series of gasps, laughs, and words of denial.

"I think I might need therapy," Dormé went on, and now she couldn't continue using that serious voice, she was giggling at every word. "The noises she made… My oh my!" the young carefree girl laughed when she looked at Teckla, red as a tomato for the knowledge just "learned".

"Dormé, even if it's true," one of the sisters said. "You shouldn't tell us, let alone laugh about it."

"Ugh, why not?" Dormé complained.

"There's such a thing as privacy," Padmé said.

Dormé rolled her eyes. "I wish Cordé was here," she said, spitefully as her smile was erased. "She would think it's funny."

Some of the girls started asking Dormé and Padmé about their missing roommate. It was very odd that neither knew where she was.

"Maybe she's in one of the fraternities," Padmé said. "After all, she was looking for you, Dormé."

"She was also looking for Mrs. Mothma," another girl said.

"Oh don't mention her again. I swear I can almost hear her moans in my head!" Dormé cried.

"Dormé!" the girls exclaimed, in shock.

"I swear! You want me to imitate her—"

There was a series of "No!" "Yeah!" "Eww!" all behind loud female laughter, till a girl screamed, getting their attention.

"What, Teckla?" Dormé said in a mocking voice. "I told you, you should cover your ears. These are adult themes, after all."

"I just wanted to say," Teckla said, hurt and ashamed. "There's a phone ringing."

None of the girls noticed it, but Padmé's face went pale under her beautiful makeup. She slowly walked towards the door; her old fear and shudder coming back stronger than ever. All previous peace and good mood already evaporating.

"I think it's coming from upstairs," a girl said.

"Isn't that from your room?" Teckla said, looking at Dormé.

"Oh yeah," she said. "I'll be right back."

Padmé's heart was beating in her ears; she stood where she was on the door, determinate on not letting anyone out. "Don't," she said, oddly.

"Why not? Maybe it's Cordé."

"Or Mothma."

Padmé breathed in and out. "I'll go answer it," she said with determination. She walked out, careful of closing the door behind her so that no one would follow.

She climbed the stairs with a shaky step, slowly and unwillingly, praying that the loud ringing noise would die by the time she reached her bedroom.

But it didn't. She even stood in front of the phone for a long time before even thinking of picking it up.

At last, the caller grew _tired_ , and the noise died.

Padmé let out a sigh of relief; she threw herself in her bed, but then—

The noise of a ringing phone made her jump. She ran and picked it up, but to her surprise, no one had called on that line.

There were only two phone lines in Kappa Kappa Delta; Padmé had personally asked her father, Mr. Naberrie, to put a phone in her room so that she could talk to her family often.

The other phone was for everyone's use. It was in the living room.

Padmé ran as fast as she could down the stairs, she was almost crying by the time she opened the door and met her sorority sisters again; and she saw them.

They were all circled around Dormé as she held the phone for everyone. They could all very well hear what the caller was saying—or more than saying, doing.

"Shhh," Dormé said, holding a finger in front of her mouth, as she saw Padmé enter. With a hand movement, she motioned her roommate to get closer. Padmé did it.

The sorority girls looked for the most part, fascinated, amused, bewildered.

Except for one.

Teckla's face was of pure horror, as she heard the caller moan in a loud and unnatural manner.

Padmé shared that awful feeling, and to an even greater extent.

"You need to get some," Dormé laughed as she brought the phone closer to her ear again. "None of us are that desperate. Goodbye, man. Stay mad!"

She hung up the phone and a loud continuous laughter covered the room.

"Shit, there are so many freaks out there," Dormé muttered, staring at Padmé. "Did Cordé call?"

Padmé shook her head, weakly. The phone rang again.

"Please don't answer it," Teckla pleaded, mirroring Padmé's haunting thoughts.

Dormé had planned on ignoring the call, but she saw an opportunity to tease and annoy Teckla again. She picked it up; it was obvious it was the same strange caller from before.

The same sinful moaning came from that strange man's voice, then shrill screams… and then—Good God!

"Oh my God," Teckla muttered in a whisper so low no one heard her. The poor teenager was growing terrified.

As was Padmé.

"Eww," Dormé said, getting the phone as far from her face as she could. "He's not alone!"

It was so obvious. As now a female voice could also be heard. And she was… I guess the sound that came from her can be described as a quiet scream—if that makes any sense.

"I killed them," finally the caller spoke, and smiles disappeared from the girls—save for Dormé, though her smile had a certain nervousness to it. "They're all dead! I killed them!" the caller's voice was too strained for anyone to recognize it—well, almost everyone.

"Fuck," Dormé muttered. "This isn't funny anymore, man. Leave us alone!"

"She's not there," the caller groaned. "Please don't bother in trying to find her. She's not there."

"Who?" Dormé asked.

Tears fell down Padmé's cheeks, as her mind begin conjuring horrible—though not so impossible ideas.

There was a really long silence, and irritated, Dormé hung up.

"What the fuck—"Dormé couldn't finish her curse. The damn phone rang again!

"She's dead," the caller said after another series of sinful and disturbing moans. "Dead. Dead. Dead."

"Who are you, you freak?!" Dormé cried, not sounding afraid, but bothered.

"Vader." The caller whispered so lowly, Dormé had to repeat her question. "Vader." The stranger's voice was louder. "Vader!" he now screamed in a voice so richly dark and strained the girls thought he must've been at least in his forties or fifties. "Vader! I am Vader! I killed them!"

"Dormé, hang up the phone!" Teckla cried, tears streaming down her sweet frightened face. "Please, he's crazy!"

Dormé's anger died as amusement and laughter reached her.

She would've allowed for the caller's mad confessions and cries, but a shaky hand snatched the phone from her hand, as Padmé harshly hung up the phone.

"What's the matter?" Dormé laughed. "It was just getting interesting."

"I think we should call the police," Teckla cried, cleaning the tears from her face.

"What? Why?"

"Didn't you hear—"

"Oh, little girl! Dormé snapped. "It was just a bored old man looking for some fun with a bunch of sorority girls. He's probably calling from his mom's basement."

"He sounded so crazy!" Teckla couldn't disguise her great fear.

"He most likely is. But harmless—"

"Why isn't Mrs. Mothma here?!" the young girl cried. "Oh she should be here…"

"You need an adult, Teckla?" Dormé laughed cruelly.

Now Teckla held her tongue and said nothing. She bit her nails nervously and inwardly wished she was at home, safe with her mother and father.

She tried to hide herself from the rest of the girls; she walked to the window and stared at the night that was approaching. Though spring and summer days were usually really long in LA, fall and winter had even longer dark nights…

The nineteen year old jumped when she felt a sudden hand touch her back. She turned and saw Padmé, and in her pretty face, there were marks and signs of weeping. "Come on, Teckla," she said slowly. "If you want, of course."

"What, Padmé?" Teckla asked, weakly.

"I am gonna report that Mrs. Mothma has been gone all day. Do you want to come with me?"

The crying girl nodded, weakly and meekly.

* * *

Padmé and Teckla stood outside Kappa Kappa Delta, that chilly Sunday night of 1972, a pang of doubt haunting each young girl, though in very different ways.

"Do you really think it was just a prank call?" Teckla asked, looking at Padmé as if she had the answers to everything.

Padmé thought it best to soothe her with a lie. "I am sure," she muttered.

They stared back at the house.

"Do you think they are gonna be alright?" was Teckla's next question.

"Yes," Padmé said, looking at the beautiful house she once saw as a place of sisterhood and freedom. Now of fear and doom. She sighed as she separated her glance from the sorority house, and she and Teckla started walking.

* * *

Night was truly black and cold now, as Padmé and Teckla walked around campus; they didn't talk much, they just thought and thought of things they'd much rather forget.

Padmé felt her head was going to explode, or her heart would stop, air just wouldn't continue to reach her lungs—

"Uh, oh," Teckla muttered, somewhat easing Padmé and interrupting her pain.

"What honey?" she asked.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

"What? Why, Teckla?"

"You had a date tonight…"

Padmé was sure her head would indeed explode, her heart had stopped, there was no air…!

Padmé gasped. "Oh Anakin…" she muttered, looking down and blinking away tears. "Fuck! Oh, I am so stupid! How could I forgot?!"

"Will he be very mad?" Teckla asked, sheepishly.

Padmé stopped her pacing, taking a moment to breathe more normally…

"Are you tired?" Teckla asked, innocently. "I am, actually, we should rest."

Padmé got on her knees, and then she threw herself on the green, fresh grass.

She could notice how the action didn't help at all, as her breathing only got more rapid… more strange… she felt smothered even in that chilly evening. The cold wind did nothing to the drops of sweat that covered her forehead, sweat that mixed with the tears of fear—no, no. Not fear. Terror. As she lay on the floor, she passed her hands across her face. She closed her eyes. Then she opened them, and she looked up, at the beauty that was a Los Angeles night sky. The big, white moon; the resplendent, countless stars… and then—

She saw nothing of that beauty.

A dark cloud covered her surroundings.

She only saw black.

Then she heard the screaming.

It was Teckla.

A hooded tall man was in front of Padmé, putting his gloved hands on her, forcing her to stand up. Clasping her and dragging her across the street.

"Padmé! Oh my God, Padmé!" Teckla cried, trembling, terrified.

You could see nothing of the assailant. He was like another shadow mixing with the night.

Padmé's fear paralyzed her at first, but in time, she found her common sense.

She tried to free herself from the hooded man, but he only took each of her hands between each of his own; electricity shook Padmé as her face banged against his hard chest. For a second, she stopped fighting, she reached her face closer to him, trying to peak under the hood; trying to see the face that hid in the darkness.

The Shadow's one hand clasped her waistline, while his other one grabbed her face. Before she could get used to that rough and so very odd touch… Padmé was thrown to the ground.

The dark man turned his back on her, and he walked to Teckla, as he moved, Padmé saw with supreme terror how he had pulled a knife from under his black garments.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Padmé was sure Teckla's cries of fear were the absolute worst thing she had ever witnessed.

She was sure those screams would accompany her till her very last day: The despair… the trepidation… the absolute terror! It was impossible to listen without feeling her heart bleed.

From the floor where she lay helplessly, Padmé cried out again, this time to ask for help; but as no one came to their aid, she had to do something. She wasn't exactly unafraid, but she ran towards the remote dark corner, where the assailant had pushed Teckla.

Padmé couldn't see her young friend behind the darkness of the night and that grim shadow of a man who completely swallowed her. "Let her go!" she shakily cried as she strongly banged her fists on the Shadow's back; an action she quickly realized did nothing to help, as he just ignored her, while Padmé just heard Teckla's cries intensify—then oddly diminish.

As Padmé continued her useless but determinate hits she could feel his one arm snapping up and down, harshly. She was growing desperate and mad, so she thought of something—and she actually did it… it was insane. Stupid. Suicidal.

Instead of hitting the attacker, Padmé wrapped her arms around the Shadow's body—she was horrified since as she did that she could get a better sense of what he was doing to Teckla—and she whispered behind the hood, "Please, stop! I beg you, don't do this! Stop!"

She could almost swear the attacker stopped for a second, but at once, the loud sound of voices and steps reached them—and he swung his knife again; slashing a last time at his victim.

Teckla fell into the floor and in a matter of seconds, the assailant disappeared from their sight.

For some moments, Padmé wished it was her lying on the ground. She felt she deserved to die. "Help!" she cried when she recovered her senses. "Help! Please, someone!"

The noise that drove the attacker away came from a group of frat boys. They had come from a football game; more than intoxicated, yet aware enough to hear Padmé's cries for help.

The group of young men gathered around Padmé and Teckla. The sound of gasps and cries of terror invading Padmé's ears again, as the young men saw the scene of the crime.

Teckla's eyes were still opened, and a pool of blood fell down her throat; staining her neck and breasts.

Padmé's hands were also moist from the spilled blood, from when she had touched her friend in fear and pity.

Padmé could feel again the suffocation of that California night; despite the cold wind, she felt smothered as the group of men cornered her and Teckla. Her mind was in such a twirl, she didn't realize from where so much pain was coming from. Everything became a blur, and she never even saw the face of the young man that caught her as she lost consciousness and fell into his arms.

* * *

"Really, sir, I am sure she won't be long," Mrs. Luminara Unduli, the cleaning lady said in a polite voice inside Kappa Kappa Delta's living room as she offered the male guest a cup of tea.

"Yeah, maybe they stopped to eat something," Dormé said in a careless manner.

"Is it usual for Teckla to be out so late?" Mr. Minnau asked, gravely.

Dormé repressed a mocking laugh. "No," she said, the truth sounding like a lie in her pretty mouth.

Teckla's father had had enough of calling non-stop only to receive no answer from who she thought was his daughter's caretaker. So he drove from Malibu in an attempt to speak, and reprimand, Mrs. Mothma. He arrived at the sorority house only to discover there was still no house mother, and to his great shock, no daughter.

"And on a school night!" he cried, sounding more disappointed than angry.

This time Dormé couldn't hold her irreverence anymore, and she laughed loudly. "I assure you, sir," she then said, sounding as respectful as she could. "She's a good girl. She's not doing anything bad out there. Hell, I wish I could tell you otherwise—but she's just out with one of the girls."

The old man hardly looked soothed by Dormé's words.

"And what is she doing exactly?" Mr. Minnau inquired after taking another sip at his tea.

"Oh, I couldn't really say… I don't know." Dormé muttered.

The old man looked unsettled. "And who's the girl accompanying my daughter?"

"Padmé," Dormé answered. "Another good girl. So you have nothing to worry about."

"Didn't Padmé have a date with Anakin tonight?" one of the sorority sisters said, and Dormé immediately turned angry eyes on her.

"Yeah… but..." Dormé stammered.

"Child, I beg you," Mr. Minnau said, almost sadly. "Don't lie to me. If my daughter is out with a boy—I'd rather know."

Dormé bit her nails, almost frustrated. "But I swear! She's with Padmé. I saw them go out together."

"The girl who's out with a boy?"

"I don't know…" Dormé _really_ didn't know what to say anymore. "Maybe they…" she almost held her tongue, but her stupid joke escaped her lips. "Swing?" and she laughed as the old man watched her with a frown of displeasure and shock. "I'm kidding!" she cried, thinking that would ease him. It didn't. "Look, maybe Teckla went to the library? Maybe Padmé just walked her there? Or maybe—"

The sound of the doorbell ringing interrupted her sentence. The cleaning lady left for some moments, and when she came back, she wasn't alone. "Shit," Dormé muttered under her breath when she saw him.

* * *

Opening her eyes again was the last thing she wanted to do. She breathed rapidly, clearly reliving the past scene, imagining the man —the killer—, under the black hood. When she found the courage to keep her eyes open, the contrast of the dark memory and the whiteness of the room made her eyes watery with pain.

"Are you alright?" a man she didn't know asked.

Padmé made an attempt to be seated. The question felt like a cruel mockery at her life.

She nodded along nonetheless.

"Are you ready to talk about it?" the man said in a quiet and almost kind voice.

Again, she felt his words had a double meaning; of course the officer was just doing his job.

"Where's Teckla?" Padmé asked at once. "I want to see her!"

"Try to be calm," the police officer said. "I hear you're unscathed. You are a lucky girl Miss…"

"Padmé," she breathed and this time the irony in his words made her choke up.

 _Lucky?_

"I was almost killed tonight," she said, her voice now sounding off and far away, barely above a whisper. "And I saw my friend…. Please, tell me. What happened to her?"

The officer sighed. "I am Officer Piett," he said. "I want you to trust me, Padmé. What happened tonight was horrible, I am sure. But you need to make a declaration—"

"You want me to trust you?" she snapped, bitterly. "But you're only here to interrogate me."

"It's what needs to be done, young lady. I don't mean to be insensible, but there's a very dangerous man out there. We have to find him to avoid anything like tonight happens again—and you're the only one who can help us."

Padmé's silent tears became loud and unnatural sobbing. "Oh my God!" she cried. "Teckla! Is she… oh!"

"She's alive," Officer Piett said, gently. "But she cannot help us."

Padmé tried to get up from her hospital bed but Piett stopped her. "I tell you, you must remain calm."

"W—why can't you ask her?" Padmé asked, her voice almost dying from her fear.

Piett sighed. "She can't speak."

Images of her friend with blood falling down her throat attacked her mind.

"She's in quite a state of shock, too," the officer went on. "It is all in you, Miss Padmé."

"Please don't make me talk about it," she begged.

The young officer looked at her with pity. But he had no choice... "Miss Padmé, do you have any idea of who the attacker could be?"

She knew she was on a moral and now legal obligation to say _everything_.

"No," was her weak response.

"Miss, did you see him?"

"Not at all. He was too well concealed."

"What was he wearing?"

"I am not entirely sure… I mean, just black clothes. He was wearing a hood, I couldn't see a glimpse of skin or hair. I couldn't possibly tell you anything about him."

"But you know it was a man? How? Did he speak at all? How old did he seem?"

Padmé shook her head, nervously. "I tell you I don't know anything!" she snapped. "Just leave me alone!"

"Miss I understand you're in such a state but… well you have to be aware. He's out there right now."

His last sentence made her crying return. "I want to go home," she muttered. "I want to see my sisters!"

"Pardon me? Sisters?"

"My sorority sisters, I mean."

"Oh yes, of course. Kappa Kappa-something?"

"Delta."

"Well, the doctor said you could go as soon as you wish. But Miss, I will escort you, with my partner. You won't object, right?"

"Of course. But Teckla...?"

"Your friend will stay in the hospital for a few more days."

"Will she ever speak again?" Padmé trembled.

Officer Piett sighed sadly again. "I don't know."

* * *

The second Padmé entered Kappa Kappa Delta she saw a small crowd of people running to welcome her.

The first person she recognized was Dormé. Then there was Luminara; and a few sorority sisters; they all gasped when they saw the policemen that had brought Padmé home.

"What happened?" Dormé quietly asked Padmé.

Padmé was sure she would rather stab herself than talking about it. Being home reminded her of why she had gone out in the first place. "Mrs. Mothma hasn't returned?" she asked, pressing Dormé's arm.

Dormé shook her head.

"What about Cordé?"

Same silent response.

Padmé glanced at the policemen, who watched them very attentively.

"Good evening," Officer Piett greeted, politely.

"May we speak to the house mother?" the other policeman, Officer Ozzel said.

"Didn't you go to report her as missing?" Dormé said before she could stop herself. She bit her tongue when she realized she was getting Padmé into trouble.

"What?" both officers asked, confused.

 _Fuck,_ Dormé cursed silently. "Padmé," she whispered at her ear. "There's something you should know…"

"Not right now," Padmé stammered. "I can't talk right now… I am going to bed!"

She ran to the stairs. "Padmé!" she heard as she was called but she was already disappearing behind the dim darkness.

Padmé entered her bedroom and locked the door; without turning on the lights she ran to her makeup table and she just stared at her own reflection for a few moments. She picked up any object she could find and threw it at the wall. She grunted like an angry child and cried, more bitterly and angrily than she had in all her life.

She did a mess of the place, pulling at her own hair every so often.

She screamed and screamed until she was too tired to do anything anymore.

At last she threw herself on her bed, falling roughly on the little space, almost instantly feeling the man that was lying there.

She could see nothing of him in the darkness, yet she recognized instantly, like always, his familiar touch. "Padmé?" Anakin asked.

She couldn't help her first impulse; she started to scream savagely, for help.

He tried to grab her. "Padmé, why are you yelling?" Anakin asked, his beautiful voice sounding afraid and preoccupied. "My love, stop it. What's wrong?"

She never could answer his question. The next thing they heard was the sound of someone trying to force the door to open it, then the sound of the bullets that at last allowed officer Piett and Ozzel to enter Padmé's bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Get away from her!" Officer Piett cried at once, pointing his gun at the man next to Padmé. Even though he could not see very well in the darkness, he managed to recognize a large shadow wrapping her.

The policeman acted quickly, he knew he couldn't fire at the stranger without also hurting the girl, so he fired up in the air to scare him.

The sound of bullets made Padmé scream louder than even when she saw Teckla being attacked. "Don't!" she cried, sitting in front Anakin as if to protect him. "Don't shoot!"

A group of girls appeared behind the two officers. "Oh my God!" Dormé cried. "I tried to warn you!"

"What is going on?" Anakin inquired, more confused than angry.

"Sir," again it was Dormé who spoke. "This is Padmé's boyfriend."

"Fiancé, actually," Anakin corrected amidst the stupor.

Officer Piett looked back at the sorority sisters and then at Anakin and Padmé who were buried in the dim darkness; he hesitated but in the end he put his gun down.

"Alright," Officer Ozzel said as he turned on the lights. "What exactly is going on here, girls?" he sounded somewhat annoyed.

Anakin stood from the bed; he was wearing only a pair of blue jeans, his bared chest and arms made some of the girls turn crimson. He didn't notice that and after putting on also his shoes, he walked to the policemen.

"Sir, why did you try to shoot me?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned.

Padmé ran to his side.

She wanted everyone to disappear so she could hide under the bed.

"Really officers," she said, trying to look calm. "There's nothing to worry about here. I am so sorry I kept you here longer than necessary… but you may go now."

Ozzel and Piett interchanged looks of distrust.

"If you say so, Miss," Piett said kindly. "We will leave, by all means. Just one question."

She hated the sudden acceleration in her breathing.

"Why were you screaming for help?" Officer Piett asked, narrowing his eyes.

Padmé looked down, unsure; luckily for her, her best friend again broke in.

"She didn't know he was here," Dormé explained. "I tried to tell her but she left before giving me the chance. After what happened tonight… I am not surprised she freaked out like that."

 _Goddamn, they know?_ Padmé thought her heart would snap out of her chest.

"What happened tonight?" Anakin asked, gravely.

"Padmé and Teckla were attacked," Dormé said, not really trying to sound as insensible as she did. "Some crazy bastard jumped on them with a knife!"

Anakin's face darkened with panic and concern. "Oh my God!" he cried, gathering Padmé in his arms. "And you're alright?"

"I am fine," she muttered, oddly shaking her head. _Unlike poor Teckla…_

"I suppose there's nothing much for us to do for now," Officer Ozzel said. "Let's go back downstairs to continue with the interrogation."

 _Interrogation?_ Padmé turned to Dormé with questioning eyes. "What did you tell them?" she asked in her lowest whisper, her anger and fear almost slipping through.

Dormé bit her nails. "Just that we have two missing people here," Dormé said just as quietly. "I was starting to think the number would go up to four. I am glad you're alright—"

"Miss," Officer Piett called Dormé.

The young girl nodded, and the rest of the crowd followed the policemen. Anakin and Padmé were now alone.

No sooner was the door closed and the couple by themselves, that Anakin had taken Padmé with a madly strong grip between his arms. He took her to the bed again and he covered her with wild needy kisses. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, his voice barely containing his fear.

Padmé didn't know what to think or say.

She didn't even nod along to ease his obvious preoccupation and pain.

"Padmé, are you alright?" Anakin asked again.

The young sorority sister took a deep, long breath before speaking. "Where were you tonight?" she asked, not trying to sound as stern and cold as she did.

"Uh?" Anakin seemed confused. "My love, I've been waiting for you here in your room. I know you forgot, but we had a date tonight. I came to pick you up; Dormé told me you went out with one of the girls but that you'd be back soon. So I waited here till I fell asleep."

"You didn't go anywhere else before?" she asked, her voice still cold and unlike any other time she had ever spoken to him.

"No."

She threw her head back and just sank into her pillows. She _wanted_ to believe him. She simply couldn't.

There were a few moments of silence, broken only by the loud breathing that invaded the room when again Anakin started kissing and caressing Padmé. "Do you remember… my friend Teckla?" she asked, barely gathering her breath after her body reacted to the touch of his hands and his full lips.

Anakin didn't stop kissing her skin, his lips were too busy on her neck to form a word, but he nodded with his head.

"She got the worst tonight… and I think… I think she saw him."

Anakin stopped his activity to turn and face her. "Is that really what you want to talk about right now?" he grinned. Padmé was shocked by his lack of tact.

He had a point. That was the last thing she could wish to discuss. Yet again, her question came: "But she can't speak," Padmé said. "She might never speak again. What do you think of that, Anakin?" her voice was beginning to sound strained.

"It's tragic," Anakin said. "It's a real tragedy. I feel really bad for her," he sounded so sincere; so genuinely caring.

Padmé looked down with guilt. What the hell had she been thinking?

Anakin was the greatest man she had ever known! He was the most beautiful, most sensitive, most loving… and she had been machinating some of the nastiest ideas of him.

There was no way he was the killer she feared so much. It was not possible.

Dormé could probably even attest to the fact that he had been sleeping in her room all night. And a person cannot be in two places at once… Teckla's attacker was out there loose, yet Padmé's fears were fading away because the man she loved so much was still her hero—never her villain.

"I'm sorry," the apology left Padmé's lips before she could stop it.

"What?" Anakin looked confused.

"I mean…" she stammered. "For Teckla. I really hope she gets better."

"If you want to," Anakin said with a gorgeous and gentle smile. "I'll take you to the hospital tomorrow, so you can see her."

She smiled too. "Thanks, my love."

There was a knock on the door, but before they could respond, Dormé walked into the bedroom. She barely acknowledged them; she just walked to her bed and threw herself there.

"I'll give you two a minute," Anakin whispered at Padmé's ear, and giving her a quick sweet peck on the cheek, he went to the bathroom.

"That fucking creep killed Cordé," Dormé whispered and started weeping. Padmé was immediately by her side.

"Don't say that," she said amidst her own tears. "She has to be alright!"

"She and Mothma," Dormé sniffed. "Oh shit!" she then exclaimed.

"What?"

"I forgot to tell that to the cops!"

"What?"

"About the man that was in Mothma's room a few nights ago. Goddamn maybe he did it?"

The idea, as horrible as it was, gave Padmé a little peace. Anything to clear Anakin's name…

"They must be alive," Padmé said, almost fooling herself. "What did the cops say?"

"They will search for them," she sighed bitterly. "And they asked us to call if anything weird ever happens again."

"Something weird like…"

"I told them of the creepy phone calls we've been getting."

Padmé distanced herself from her friend. "Dormé," she weakly said. "At what time did Anakin come?"

"I don't know… a little after Teckla's daddy came. Like an hour after you left, I think."

"I see," the answer should've continued to ease Padmé's mind. But it didn't.

"Dormé, I am gonna spend the night in Anakin's room."

"Oh don't worry about me. I can crash in another room—"

"No. But listen to me: Lock the door! Please lock it and tell the other girls to do that too."

"Okay…" Dormé accepted with a grin. "That seems unnecessary. Inside the house we're safe."

"Just do it."

* * *

Anakin was confused when Padmé insisted they spend the night in his fraternity house. After all, it was really late and there was no point. But of course he couldn't deny anything to her, that night more than ever. She was scared and she needed comfort, comfort that he was more than willing to give.

He had a much larger bed, where they could cuddle more nicely; there it was very easy to be comfortable. Yet they usually avoided sleeping there, giving Anakin's roommate, but since it was so late, there was no chance he was still up; and with that consolation, Anakin and Padmé entered Alpha Gamma Phi almost happily.

A most short-lived happiness…

When they were by the stairs, they saw a group of frat boys, they were drinking—which was not unusual; but they weren't smiling, which definitely was… some of them even had a few tears.

"Hi, Anakin, hey Padmé…" the couple was faintly greeted.

"What happened, Joe?" Anakin asked, concerned.

They didn't stay too long with those frat boys. Anakin and Padmé simply learned what they knew, and almost escaping, they finally reached Anakin's bedroom.

* * *

Padmé struggled to breathe as she took off her coat. She fought tears that fell nonetheless down her cheeks. She sat on Anakin's bed and wished she was anywhere else…

 _This can't be happening_ , she told herself. _This is a dream. A nightmare! Oh when will I awake? When will this end!_

"It just can't be happening," she said amidst burning tears.

"It's insane," Anakin agreed and sighed. "It seems like campus is no longer safe."

Padmé passed her hands through her hair. "It just doesn't make any sense." She cried. "How were they all killed?!"

"Shhh," Anakin gently quieted her. "You'll awake him." He said, pointing to his roommate's bed.

Padmé bit at her nails as she dedicated a few seconds to look at Jar Jar. He was oddly quiet; usually he snorted a lot…

"I never even got the chance to thank them," Padmé said, her voice completely broken.

"Neither did I," Anakin sighed again. "They saved you, my love. I will always be in debt to them."

The group of frat boys that had helped Padmé and Teckla, every single one, was found dead…

"I am not even gonna bother going to sleep," Padmé then said. "I have class in an hour. I'm gonna start getting ready."

"Padmé," Anakin softly said. "Maybe you shouldn't go… you should rest."

She didn't listen to his suggestion, as thoughtful as it was; she just got into the shower and cried all the way.

* * *

"You didn't have to come with me, you must be tired." Padmé said in the car sitting next to Anakin, later that morning.

"Not at all," he smiled at her. "Really, I don't want to tell you what to do, Padmé. But you should be resting. Is this class really so important?"

"Yes," she said. "I think I'm failing it. I can't help it, I just don't get psychology."

"Yeah, it sounds really boring."

"Well, yeah it is," she faintly laughed. "The professor is really nice, though." _Too nice actually..._

"Well, have a good time," he kissed her goodbye.

As Padmé walked that cool Monday morning to enter the building in which she had class, she stopped for a moment, wanting to look again at the face of the man she loved. The feeling of his lips lingered for a long time; she felt her heart throb as she saw his smile. So boyish and charming… so sweet and loving!

 _Oh Anakin._

She truly loved him.

"Miss Amidala! Padmé heard next to her which caused her to rip her eyes from the perfect sight of her fiancé.

"Oh, hi," she smiled taken aback at her professor. "Mr. Clovis, I am on time at last."

He laughed quietly. "I am so glad, young lady," he put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, let's hope you don't fall asleep in my class this time," he playfully smacked his hand on her back; they both laughed.

Wanting to see Anakin's gorgeous smile one last time, Padmé snuck a last glance at her boyfriend—but now everything had changed.

It was alarming. Unnerving. And shocking. To see just how fast he could change; as if he were another person.

It was like a sunshine that turns into a storm. All light departed him, only darkness reigned in him.

Padmé had never seen him like that, and it was only for a few seconds, more than enough to cool her skin.

 _He didn't do it._ She had to remind herself. _He didn't do it! He didn't… he wouldn't._

* * *

 **AN:** So now I ask you… Do you think Ani did it? Mmhh….

Please let me know how it's going!


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** I am not an expert on these subjects, forgive me and don't take it too seriously, please. I am just trying to write a horror story here.

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

It had seemed Clovis and his class were meant to never receive any attention from Padmé Amidala.

Were it boredom or woe, something always took Padmé from being truly present in her psychology class.

This day would at last be different.

Though when she first seated she could not stop thinking about Anakin, his darkened face, and all the killings and weird things that were happening, Clovis finally managed to catch her full attention.

She read the subject for today in the board and a sense of odd morbid curiosity invaded her.

"What do you know," Mr. Clovis asked, his back in his students as he finished writing on the board with a piece of white chalk. "About schizophrenia?"

A few people gave their opinions, Clovis responded. Some students made questions, Clovis again answered. The class was going as usual, till Clovis was surprised by his favorite student.

Padmé raised her hand, a bit unsurely; Clovis walked to her, smiling encouragingly. "Yes, Miss Amidala?"

"I was wondering… after hearing everyone's opinions… Is that like a split personality disorder?"

Clovis looked fascinated. "Well, not exactly." He answered. "Schizophrenia is a mental disorder, that unlike popular believe, doesn't revolve around the person being dangerous. The individual often shows abnormal behavior, and an incapability to recognize what's real and what isn't. They might hear voices within their own heads, caused by their own imaginations. They often hallucinate, but they do not have more than one personality."

Padmé paid all of her attention to his answer. Her curiosity growing and her mind burning. "Well, then," she finally asked. "It's impossible for a person to have more than one personality?"

Clovis was excited by her new interest in himself and his class, and his face could hardly disguise it. He didn't care about going off subject, he just wanted to keep her interest in himself. "A multiple personality disorder," Clovis said, still standing next to Padmé. "Is an extremely rare case, but certainly possible."

Padmé took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"It is a complex psychological condition," Clovis went on. "It can develop after a person, usually a very young one, experiences great trauma. Something too violent or painful to accept, to assimilate. So they create a new personality; one on which they can lay all blame and that way go on with their lives. It can be dangerous… no doubt," he took a second, silence falling on the excited classroom. It seemed that even for a professional that subject was delicate and hard to cover. "The 'alter' or other personality can be anything… a different sex, age even race or nationality. It has been showed on men who committed treason against their country, and knowing they'll be executed, they develop another personality. That new personality can have a name, a different voice making it almost unrecognizable even for the individual's closest person."

When an hour passed and the class was over, Clovis couldn't help but to notice the face of annoyance and displeasure Padmé made. His vanity convinced him that she was upset about leaving him so soon, as he himself was upset for that. He never imagined his previously bad student was dying to learn more information, information only he could give.

"If I would've known this subject was so interesting to you," Clovis said, again keeping her from leaving as they were the only remaining people on the otherwise empty classroom. "I would've led with that at the beginning of the semester." His mischievous grin couldn't make her uncomfortable at the moment.

"Mr. Clovis," she said, her face filled with seriousness. "I never believed in psychology, I must be honest… And I hardly understand a lot of the terms and wording you use during your class… So I ask, I just need a yes or no answer."

"Of course, my dear. I'll answer anything you want," he took both of her hands between his own.

"Can—can a person heal… I mean, c-can they get rid of the psychological disorder?"

If he wouldn't been so enticed by the warmth of her hands, and the beauty of her face, he would've noticed the fear with which she spoke. "No," he answered simply. His answer honest and professional, yet his mind struggling to stay in subject; images of that young girl beneath him and on his desk suddenly running wild in his dirty mind.

Likewise, Padmé was so immersed on the subject at hand, she didn't recognize the burning desire on Clovis's eyes. His answer to such important question only causing a knot to form on her throat, all hope for the future dying and fear at her loved one at risk.

"Miss Amidala," Clovis said after a long silence in which they never stopped touching. "These are too somber subjects for a girl such as yourself… I'd lie if I say this doesn't make you more interesting though…"

His English accent was nothing short of charming, the seductiveness of his penetrating green glance would've been hard to resist for most girls—but not Padmé. She was not only hopelessly in love with another man, but she also was someone who lived in fear, in a constant state of paranoia… sexual thoughts were not something she could carry or enjoy at the moment.

"Mr. Clovis," she said, shaking her head, now aware of the older man's intentions. "Stop. I have a boyfriend," she coldly said.

"Oh," he didn't look surprised, like she just informed him that the sky is blue. "Of course you do," he laughed. "Why wouldn't you? You are by far the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, Miss. I'd be shocked to know you were alone—"

"Then why are you doing this?" she interrupted, struggling in his arms that now were clasping her.

"I can hardly give you a reasonable explanation," he breathed on her neck, his lips grazing her skin. "I suppose it is human nature. We've spoken about it all semester my dear, if only you would've paid more attention to class…" he laughed ironically. His laughter sounding like thunder in her mind. "Freudian…" he actually managed to kiss her skin, she flinched but was unable of breaking free. "A man has needs, just like a woman…. And when they're together—"

"Mr. Clovis! Stop!" She felt smothered in his embrace and she wanted nothing more than to break free, something Clovis was bent on avoiding.

She wanted more than anything to avoid his lips on her own, she knew she would hate life after that and would never recover. She screamed louder, but he held her steady over his desk, rushing his hands on her shoulders, keeping her prisoner. "I know you want this," he said and his face neared her own.

She was about to finally scream for help, when another cry invaded the room. "Get away from her!" Anakin cried by the door; his face carrying the darkness that had previously scared Padmé—and to an even greater degree.

Padmé felt her heart stopped beating and her blood turned cold. "Anakin…" she breathed, terrified, finally free from Clovis's arms.

No other words were said, Anakin practically ran, not to get his girlfriend safe, but to end the man that had put her below his body against her will.

Padmé could only scream Anakin's name and sometimes Clovis's as they savagely fought.

Anakin punched at Clovis's face repeatedly, at each punch grunting like a savage, like a wild animal, some dangerous predator. Soon his fists were covered in Clovis's blood, yet the other man didn't complain much, even landing a few comeback punches on the younger man.

"Please stop!" Padmé cried, her voice broken and her face pale in fear. At the moment of her plead, Anakin had Clovis's throat in one hand, while his other one was about to hit the harasser's face again—he stopped in midair, his face softening for a second, locking eyes with the woman he loved… till Clovis grunted and moaned in pain—Anakin hit him in the face again, more blood coming off of Clovis as a result. "Anakin!" Padmé begged. Her plead seemed to infuriate him, as he dropped Clovis to the floor and began kicking him—his stomach, his manhood, his head.

Padmé now knew pleads were useless, but she didn't know what else to do… She reached for her lover, the man she once thought capable of nothing but tenderness and passion, and she saw on his eyes, his intentions, his thirst for more blood and his lack of regret. There was cold murder in his eyes.

Thankfully for Clovis, and Anakin's innocence, the sound of a loud concurred halfway reached the classroom. You could hear people talking, and laughing as usual; and it would've been impossible for them to not hear if Anakin continued beating the Professor. Yet he couldn't stop. He was about to pick Clovis from the floor to continue his merciless attacks, when Padmé, still afraid of him and trembling, put her arms around him. "Please, stop! I beg you, don't do this! Stop!" He listened… he was still tense as a demon but he complied.

"Oohh…" Clovis moaned on the floor.

"Anakin, what have you done!" Padmé cried, disgusted at the sight of that barely alive man on the floor.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered. His voice sounding like his usual self. Pain, sorrow and even guilt slipping through.

"I have to get him to the hospital."

"You?" he jealously said, though the darkness didn't fully return.

"You go first…" she said, trembling—clearly hating herself. "People can't know about this. Go quietly and I will make Clovis think of an excuse."

"Why?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

 _Because I don't need people knowing of you almost killing a man when the police is looking for a murderer!_ "Because there's no reason and you'll get in trouble."

"We need to go to the police," he cooly said.

 _Oh my head will explode!_ "What?" she asked, shaking her head.

"He sexually harassed you!" Anakin cried. "We must—"

"No," she said, dryly. "It—it was barely a thing," she said and Anakin's mouth dropped. "He didn't even kiss me… no one will believe me."

Amidst his faint state, Clovis smirked, causing murder to show on Anakin's eyes again, but only for a second. "Fine," he tiredly said. "But you go to class, I'll take him to the hospital. Really, I can take care of him."

 _I'm sure you would…_ "No. Please, Ani."

He sighed, reached over, gave her a small kiss and left.

Padmé waited a long time, till she knew the hallways would be empty and everyone would be in class. At last, she helped Clovis stand up, letting him lean on her shoulder, practically carrying him till they reached her car.

"Thank you," he said when Padmé was driving to the hospital. She hated him beyond his inappropriate conduct towards her.

"I'm not doing this for you," she harshly stated.

"Still," Clovis said, his weak voice sending her into a state of furiousness. "I appreciate it. I knew you liked me—"

The car stopped abruptly, causing Clovis to hit his face on the windshield. "Let's get one thing straight, Clovis," Padmé said with vehemence.

"I am glad you at least lost the 'Mr.' formality," he smiled and his blood-stained teeth disgusted Padmé.

"As I was saying," she said, annoyed. "I'm not doing this for you. I am not stupid, I know the consequences I would face if I denounce you. You are a College professor, a wealthy man, a foreigner with a clean record, and you left no marks on my body."

"Unlike your hot-headed boyfriend," he snarled, looking at his face in the mirror with true horror.

"It'd be almost impossible for me to make a case, unless I move influences…" she threatened, and he immediately took the hint.

"I think I see your true intentions, my dear."

She rolled her eyes with disgust at his endearment. "Yes," she said, looking ahead at the endless highway. "You must be aware of my parentage."

"Your name alone made me aware of it, my darling."

"Just so, Clovis. My father is an important senator. I come from a family of politicians. And no matter your clean record, if I tell what you did, you'd immediately go to jail."

"But I won't," he almost smiled.

"No, as long as you never mention what my boyfriend did to you."

"We have a deal, beautiful," he offered her his bruised hand but she never even glanced at him. A part of her, the part that was slowly losing sanity, wished Anakin had actually killed him.

* * *

 **AN:** Clovis keeps getting away with his damn harassment… but don't think that will go on forever—not even for longer.

Happy holidays everyone! I am sorry I cannot give you a more cheerful story, but this has been wickedly fun to write! Was it fun to read? Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The dead silence of the waiting room contributed immensely to Padmé's state of uneasiness.

The passing by nurses and patients made her feel lonely amidst a great crowd. The annoying white that covered all walls made her feel depressed.

As she waited for Clovis to be tended, she remembered she had someone to see in that place.

She had permission, she knew the room number, she just had been too afraid the day before to pay her a visit.

A nurse accompanied Padmé towards Teckla's room, when she saw the young girl was asleep, Padmé asked the nurse to be left alone with her.

Once that was accomplished, Padmé sat next to her friend on the small bed. "Oh Teckla," Padmé sighed, a few silent tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

After a while, Teckla started moving around the bed, which prompted Padmé to immediately get up from the bed and distance herself from her friend. Teckla was awakening, without making a single noise, she slowly rose, lifting her head to get into a sitting position without opening her eyes. When she did, she only rubbed her face with her small hands, and she stared down at the white blankets that covered her.

"Teckla," Padmé quietly and cautiously made her presence known.

Like a deer in headlights, Teckla was immediately startled, she set her broken gaze upwards, on the direction Padmé was standing, and in a second, she released a sound that would've been a scream, had she had the vocal chords to do it.

Instead, what Padmé had in front of her was a livid face, trembling with terror. Mouth wide open. Skin paper white. A shrilled cry that made every single hair on her body rise. Teckla was shouting, but in an odd way, as if someone was pressing at her neck, holding back any real sound. She pulled at her own hair in a desperate fashion, as an endless sea of burning tears flooded her teen face.

Padmé didn't even know what was happening. She never expected that reaction and she just stayed there. Standing, crying, unsure of what to do. She tried to apologize but was interrupted by Teckla, not with any words, of course, but by the poor girl's raised hand that was pointing behind her.

Padmé felt the air in the room turned cold, and she started trembling as much as her broken friend. She slowly and reluctantly turned around, and she almost fell back, the sudden tall figure shocking her to the point of screaming.

She shrunk back and climbed next to Teckla, the two girls helpless as during that awful black night when they were attacked.

"What's wrong?" Anakin asked, swiftly running to the two frightened girls.

"Anakin!" Padmé cried, her voice shaking. "You scared me!"

"Why?" he asked, oblivious. "What's going on?"

"What _is_ going on?" another voice, a much more pulled together one asked. It was Teckla's nurse. She immediately asked Anakin and Padmé to leave.

They did so, Anakin pushing Padmé out as she saw the nurse struggle with her wild and frantic patient, till she injected something into her bloodstream.

When they were outside, Padmé was still crying, though she didn't exactly know why. Anakin's confusion brought her some sanity—or something similar to it.

"My love," Anakin softly whispered, comforting Padmé on his strong arms. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't even know…!" Padmé muttered, nestling deeper into his chest, sniffing like a child and forcing her eyes closed till they turned red and hurt. "You came out of nowhere!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," he said, keeping a loving tone. "I know I promised you I'd leave you to handle Clovis. But I couldn't bear letting you alone with him after what he did. I saw your car outside but when I was told he was alone, I figured you'd be with Teckla. And I wanted to see how she was doing myself. I didn't know she was so bad… I guess it's to be expected. I mean, the attack was so little ago…"

"Yes…" Padmé agreed and sighed.

"Am I going to have to expect you screaming like crazy every time I see you now?" Anakin darkly joked. She laughed nervously and shook her head.

"Yeah… I have to stop doing that," she said and practically fell into his arms. "I'm so tired," she said. "You drove here?"

"I took a cab just in case."

 _In case what?_

"Let's go then. I rather think Clovis can find his way home alone. Come on, let's see if we can still catch a few classes."

* * *

Anakin drove them back to campus, Padmé maintaining her odd ways on the way there. Luckily for both, walking around a great crowd forced some normality into Padmé.

"Hey Padmé!"

"Hey Anakin!"

Every two minutes somebody greeted them.

"Hey Anakin, catch!" they would hear before a ball appeared out of nowhere and Anakin caught it with ease.

They were such an attractive couple! Everyone knew who they were. Girls envied Padmé, her beauty, wealth and boyfriend. How would they envy her mental health? Hmm. Her state of mind and actual happiness?

Anakin was just as admired. Though he wasn't rich, and not really that much of an academic, he was a brilliant football player. The star of the team. Skywalker… some people joked with him, saying he would walk on the moon if he wanted to. He could easily reach space should he choose to. He was the kind of man that just appeared capable of anything.

So it is natural for the two of them together to get a lot of attention. Anything they did was carefully watched—most of the time.

"At what time are you gonna be free?" Anakin asked as they paced outside the building in which Padmé had class.

"Uh," she mutter, unsurely. "I am not sure… I-I'll call you."

Of course her answer upset him.

"What?" he snapped. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The last thing she wanted was anger him, but she felt she desperately needed some time alone. And as much as she tried, she couldn't help sounding so distant and careless—but it was better than cold and hurtful, or unsettled and frightened…

"It means I will call you when I'm free," Padmé said simply. "Anakin, do you realize how far behind I am? I have missed so many classes. I have a million papers to do, and it's all because—"

"Because of me?"

"That's not what I'm saying!"

"But you're implying it! I'm sorry. I didn't ask you to travel to Nevada for my mother's funeral. You offered to go, remember?"

"Ani…"

"And I offered to take that low-life to the hospital but you insisted on driving him yourself—!"

"Anakin, be quiet," she pleaded as many eyes stared at them and their sudden argument.

"You keep putting distance between us," his ache was palpable in his voice. "You use any excuse to be separated… Why don't you just say it, Padmé?"

"Stop," she begged, feeling sick to her stomach, the world around her becoming again unreal as her eyes twirled from the sky, to Anakin's hurt-filled eyes, and then the floor.

"This has not exactly been sudden, Padmé."

"Oh stop it! I have class!" she tried to turn around and leave him but he grabbed each of her arms, clasping her in an embrace she couldn't escape from.

"It was since," _Oh don't say it!_ Her mind cried. "I proposed to you!" she breathed out in relief. "Isn't it?" he demanded.

She didn't know what to say, she just weakly shook her head.

"I knew it when you said yes," he said, a tear escaping his eye. "You didn't mean it. You never wanted to marry me…"

She said nothing but he read the truth in her eyes.

"If that's what you want, Padmé," Anakin said, bitterly. "You can have your way," and without saying anything else, he turned his back on her and left.

Padmé stood there for about five minutes, doing nothing, breathing rapidly.

 _What'd just happen?_

She missed the class and when she entered the next one, she just sat without hearing the lecture for about twenty minutes, she then went to the bathroom, cried till she almost couldn't breathe, and escaped to her sorority house.

* * *

In the safety of her bedroom and the comfort of her bed, she laid down, too injured for even tears. She stayed there like dead, apart from the world till her roommate entered, carrying two small puppies in her arms.

"Nice to see you're as good as I am," Dormé said with bitter irony. "Found them outside the house," she said, dropping Artoo and Threepio on Padmé's bed. "Better watch that, you know. A lot of cars pass by and they don't stop not even for a cute puppy. Not to mention our dear old psychopath's still out there."

She received nothing but silence to all that.

"Police called again, you know. They're gonna keep a patrol car outside after it gets dark. Luminara is pretty comforted by that. Of course, I don't think she has much to cry about. Now that old Mothma is gone she's almost ruling this thing."

Silence.

"I heard about those frat boys, by the way. It's good to know Vader is not targeting girls only."

 _Vader?_

"What?" Padmé at last spoke. "Who?"

"Oh, don't you remember, honey? That's the name… _He_ gave us. Must be fake, I am sure. Who would call their child that? Maybe it's a nickname… I don't know…"

 _Vader… Vader…_ She felt she had heard that name before, but not during those creepy phone calls… When, then?

* * *

"Oh Christ," Officer Piett sighed at the police station. "Another one?" he frowned.

"It was just at the end of the street of that sorority house," Officer Ozzel informed him.

"When was she found?"

"About an hour ago… She was found by her own mother!"

Piett shuddered. "How old was she?"

"Thirteen…" Ozzel rubbed his aged forehead. "Dear God."

"What the hell was she doing on that campus?"

"The child and her mother were visiting her older sister. One of the sorority girls from the house we went to before."

"Which one?"

Ozzel went through some papers and then said the name. Piett sighed again.

Night was approaching, they asked for more coffee and drank cup after cup as they discussed what time would be more appropriate to go to Kappa Kappa Delta.

"No use in postponing this," Ozzel said dryly. "Let's go, man."

"Afternoon, gentlemen," a voice said calling them back, it was one of the younger officers. "Heard what happened in campus now?"

"Yeah," the two policemen said. "Poor child. Poor woman who found her…"

"Err—no," the newcomer said. "About the Professor."

Ozzel and Piett froze as they were reaching the door. What now?!

"A professor from the university got beaten today just after his first class."

"Good grief, man!"

"He's alive?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Won't be showing himself in class all week, though. He looks pretty bad."

"What'd he say? Pressed charged?"

"That's the strangest thing. He claims he was robbed, but couldn't say anything about the guy. Odd thing, since it happened in broad daylight. Another weird thing, nobody saw."

"Well, Kenobi," Piett said. "If you don't mind, we ought to go now. Come on, Ozzel."

"Where are you going?" Young Kenobi asked.

"A sorority house—but I reckon it won't be very fun times there," Ozzel snarled.

"Oh," Kenobi was curious. "Is that the…"

"Yep, the one. See you, young man!"

Officers Ozzel and Piett left.

Officer Obi-Wan Kenobi sat there for a while, finishing the coffee that remained. Even though he was new in the force, he had great abilities and a desire to serve. He read the report on Kappa Kappa Delta's missing House Mother and young Sorority Sister. Then of what happened to the fraternity boys. The little girl who got murdered earlier. The Psychology Professor that got robbed and attacked. And after thinking about it for hours, he managed to make a connection.

* * *

"They're here!" Dormé cried, staring from the window of the living room, all girls were sitting around there, drinking tea and eating sandwiches.

Padmé sat on the floor, sadly, and softly stroking her little pets. The sight of Artoo formed a knot on her throat. _Oh Ani…_

The night went on, seemingly uneventful, then the phone rang.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Surely you must know that when a horror story draws closer to the end, the death count increases…**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

All voices hushed, all movements stopped. The only sound apart from that of the ringing phone came from Padmé's little pets and the moving cars from outside.

"Oh come on," Dormé said, moving from the window. Even she had been motionless. "I'll pick it up," she managed to sound careless even amidst her nervousness.

"Don't!" some girls begged, but Dormé picked up the phone.

She sighed as if annoyed. "It's from the police station," she informed the other girls, who breathed out in relief. "Yes, this is she," Dormé said, speaking calmly now. A most short-lived calmness.

"What is it?" Dormé heard next to her. "Oh." Everyone watched her. "Yes, thank you. Good night, Officer."

"Well, girl?'" she was asked.

Dormé cursed under her breath. "They—they thought I was you," she said, looking at Sabé, with whom she had never gotten along very well.

"Why would they think that?" Sabé, a beautiful girl that like many of her sorority sisters, had dark hair and eyes against California, sun-kissed skin, asked, anxiously.

"Because I told them," Dormé said simply, yet her voice was softer than ever before in her life. "Sabé…"

Padmé looked up from where she was on the floor, watching them closely; a knot forming on her throat as a gut-awful feeling attacked her.

"They… they're sending another car soon to get you," Dormé said, her face turning purple as she tried to hold back tears.

There was a sound of numerous gasps. "Why?" Sabé asked, completely sheepishly.

A sob escaped Dormé. "Shit, I can't tell you!" she cried in a strained, hoarse voice before running from the living room. People called her back but she ignored them and hid in her bedroom, hoping Padmé wouldn't follow.

* * *

She cried on her pillow till the sound of the phone made her jump from her spot, the sudden loud noise almost giving her a heart attack and making her curse more foully than in any other prior occasion.

This time, she didn't dare pick it up. But the endless sound was driving her to insanity, she yelled and cried and at last gave up. She walked more bravely than she felt, and answered the telephone. "What?" she exclaimed with all her anger.

This definitely wasn't the police calling.

Again, she heard Vader's unhuman respiration. That breathing sound that at that moment raised every hair on her body, making the telephone shake on her usually steady hands. "Stop calling," Dormé muttered as she hung up. It rang again. "Fuck!" she screamed shrilly. "Stop fucking calling!" she screamed at the telephone. "The police is here! You can't hurt us anymore, you goddamn—"

"I can see her," the caller said in a voice so deadly calm and dark Dormé froze as did every muscle in her. "She's dead. Dead. Dead."

A few seconds of nothing but breathing sounds. "She was little," he said, his voice breaking as if he were about to break down. "She's dead," he repeated. "And soon…" Dormé felt a pair of eyes on her. " _You will all… be, too_!"

He hung up.

* * *

There was an excessive round of suggestions as to what that phone call from the police station meant. The sorority sisters paced around the spacious living room, in a state of uneasiness and gloom.

"She was probably just messing with you," people told Sabé.

"Yeah, that sounds like Dormé. She's a real bitch—maybe that's her idea of a joke."

Padmé heard them, wishing to defend her roommate but remained silent.

"Now girls," Mrs. Luminara said as she pretended to clean around with a broom. "Don't be so nasty. You all seem to forget the purpose of being in a sorority house. You should all treat each other like sisters."

Padmé sank deeper into the floor, wishing it would swallow her, when—

"Help!" she heard the screaming coming from the stairs. "Girls! Girls!" It was Dormé.

They all ran to meet her.

They saw her as she collapsed into the floor, her breathing fast, her forehead covered in sweat, and her face pained.

"What is it?" Mrs. Luminara asked.

"Fuck my life," Dormé breathed, angrily. "He called! He called again!"

"Who?" everyone asked.

"Vader!" Dormé cried. "Oh he called to the phone in our room again!" she exclaimed, taking Padmé's cold hands.

"What'd he say?" Luminara asked.

"Wait," Dormé let go of Padmé. "I'm gonna call the officers that are outside. They have to know!"

Mostly everyone agreed.

"Sabé," Dormé said, "I told you to get your things."

Sabé shot a furious stare at her. "Leave me alone," she said. "You always exaggerate everything…"

"Sabé," Dormé spoke without her usual smile, without any hint of sarcasm or irony. She wasn't naturally sensitive, and she did her best when she said. "It's your little sister, honey," she paused. "Vader… the caller—attacked her."

There was a momentary moment of stupor, broken by the sound of angry female fury. Luminara and Padmé grabbed Sabé before she could do any real damage on Dormé, who didn't even try to dodge her attacks. "You bitch," Sabé screamed, her indignation barely allowing her to speak. "You always do things that are hurtful… and you enjoy it… But this is too much!"

"Sabé, it's true!" Dormé cried.

"Please," Padmé spoke for the first time that evening. "Stop it, Dormé. Just stop…"

"I am not lying!"

"Oh girls," Luminara sighed. "I do wish dear Mon was here… I can't handle you Wild Things!" And she stormed out to the kitchen. _To get a bottle of wine_ , Padmé thought, almost amused.

"Call me what you want," Dormé said, her usual self back in place. "That car is coming. Your mother is in the police station and she's waiting for you."

"Fuck you!" Dormé heard from Sabé's lips as she exited the door to call the policemen.

The sorority sisters returned to the living room, in an even worse mood than they had earlier. Now there it only reigned silence, broken only by Dormé and the policemen.

"Good evening," Officer Piett greeted them while Ozzel only nodded in acknowledgement.

"Not so good, sir," Dormé snarled, acidly. She now had a cigarette in her hand, and she blew the smoke in Ozzel's stern face. The officer stepped back with a gest of displeasure at her insolence.

"Ladies," Ozzel said looking like he thought the word on those girls was amusing. "Your friend here told us of what happened, so I understand you're all a bit on edge."

The girls' wide eyes confirmed that statement.

"You have nothing to worry about," Piett said, trying to bring some sanity on that troubled house. "We'll be here all night so if anything weird happens again, you just call us, okay?"

"Sir," Padmé spoke slowly and meekly. "C-can I ask something?"

"Certainly," Piett coughed, awkwardly.

"Is it true that… that a young girl…"

"Yes," Dormé jumped and said. "Come on, confirm it! They don't believe me." She blew a great quantity of black smoke from her luscious red mouth.

Piett sighed. "There's another car coming to get…" he looked around. "Where is she?"

"Oh she's not speaking to us," Dormé said. "She got a little upset when I told her of what happened to her little sister."

Ozzel looked at Dormé with true hatred. She smirked and continued smoking.

"Girls, I advise you all to go to bed. Good night," Piett said tiredly.

The girls begin deserting the living room one by one. Padmé was the last one but when she reached the door, an arm grabbed her, preventing her. She jumped at the sudden touch.

"Forgive me, Miss Amidala," Officer Piett said. "We'd like to have a word with you."

She closed the door. "Why?" she asked, trembling. "I already told you all I knew…"

"Did you, now?" Officer Ozzel said, watching her closely.

"You have nothing to worry about," Piett said, smiling kindly.

Padmé motioned them to sit down.

* * *

On the backyard Luminara was doing all she could—to mediocre success—to cheer Sabé. The young girl sat with her face on her hands as the older woman stood behind her.

"Really, dear," Luminara said in a blurry voice that erased any comfort she might provide. The bottle of wine on her hand only annoyed Sabé even further. "You know how Dormé is. And she's been really depressed these last few days… what with her roommate going missing and all that…"

"Yes," Sabé said, not really paying attention to the big lady behind her.

"I mean, what would your sister be doing here, I wonder?" Luminara barked.

Sabé rolled her eyes, yet her pain returned. "My birthday is coming up and my mom was thinking of bringing her here to visit me…"

"But did she say she would?"

"Maybe she wanted to surprise me…"

"Oh forget it, dear! Don't listen to that mean girl. Between you and me—I never liked her."

"I hate her!" the young girl exclaimed. She really thought she hated Dormé before for being so mean and slutty… now she definitely couldn't stand to see her.

"Who could enjoy such a cruel joke?" Sabé muttered. "I can't believe Padmé likes her! Oh I wish it were Dormé who disappeared and not Cordé!" she cried, excitedly.

Luminara shuddered. "Now, child! Don't say such things… That'd be like me being happy that Old Mon isn't here… Which I am not," she said in an unconvincing voice.

Sabé looked up and smirked at Luminara's drunken state. If she wasn't so angry with Dormé, she might've laugh. Wine always affected that lady really quickly; that was usually one of the funniest things during Kappa Kappa Delta's parties…

Sabé sighed. It seemed like forever since they last had a party, even though they had one so little ago.

"We should have another party this Friday," Sabé said, taking the bottle from Luminara's hands and taking a sip.

Luminara shook her head. "Why, I don't think so," she got the hiccoughs. "What if someone else goes missing?"

Sabé at last smiled. "Hey, if we're lucky, it might be Dormé."

They both laughed and shared the bottle of wine.

"Or Padmé," Sabé then said.

Luminara gave her a reproving stare. "Oh Sabé, don't. I think the wine has gone to your head, child. What has dear Padmé ever done to you? Why, a sweeter girl there never lived!"

Sabé took another sip of wine. "Hey we're only joking… I just wouldn't mind if Anakin were to become single…" she laughed, quietly. "Did you hear they got engaged?" She suddenly sounded jealous.

"Yes. What gorgeous children they will have!"

"Hmm, I hope not," Sabé said, liqueur bringing out her hidden thoughts, resenting jealously of how Padmé Amidala always had to have the best of everything.

It's not that she disliked Padmé, she liked her a lot; she just couldn't help desiring some of the things Young Amidala had. And more than all the wealth and brains in the world… Anakin Skywalker.

She bit at her nails as she pictured him on top of her. It was an action most of the girls in the sorority house—apart from Cordé and Teckla—did. Lusting and fantasizing over Padmé's hot boyfriend.

She closed her eyes as her legs pressed together, imagining he was there touching her… she had often heard him and Padmé when they spent the night together, and it was actually kind of fun…

"I might hate Dormé but really wouldn't mind if really that freak attacks Padmé next…" Sabé muttered as she giggled. She turned to see what scold Luminara would give her for that, but in her inappropriate daydreaming, she didn't notice the cleaning lady was lying on the floor unconscious. She also didn't notice how she had been watched since she first sat down in the first place.

"Ma'am…" Sabé blurred out, softly kicking her, trying to get her to wake up. "Luminara, I am not carrying you to your room!" Sabé cried. She got on her knees to shake her, and the next time she got up, it wasn't her own action—something had grabbed her and rose her from ground.

Before she could scream for help, she felt and saw a pair of massive black hands on her mouth, pressing her so tightly all sounds were muffled. The gloved hands of the attacker that had grabbed her from behind then moved down to her neck, the pressure growing even tighter and more agonizing.

When all strength seemed to run out of her body he dropped her on the floor, and just then, positioned himself on top of her.

Sabé had heard the hooded monster that attacked Teckla and Padmé being described, but in that short moment she thought the descriptions were short to what he truly was.

His weight on her made her moan in pain and discomfort, when she felt him move on top of her it only got worse. She felt she was dead already. She was left frozen in pain and terror, and when she felt him move again she thought he was going to leave her… but he only got something from under his black garments. A knife. She screamed but no sound came from her aching throat, her neck already looked purple-bruised—it stopped looking human when the assailant passed his knife softly along the line of her throat, ensuring her silence forever.

The next thing he did was use his gloved hands to rip her blouse open, revealing her completely. He searched her chest as if it contained something he desired; when he found her thumping heart, he slashed the knife into it. Repeatedly. Even after it stopped beating.

He put the blood-stained knife under his black clothes, perfectly concealed and secured just as another police car arrived.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 _Be cool… BREATHE! Don't do anything stupid… BREATHE! Try to smile… BREATHE!_

Padmé's thoughts hurt her brain. It was hard to focus on the officers' questions while her own mind kept telling her things.

"I'm sorry," she said, somewhat embarrassed. "What were you saying?"

Officer Ozzel released air in annoyance. "Miss Amidala," he said, out of patience. "Why didn't you tell us the strange phone calls came FIRST to _your_ personal phone?"

Padmé hid her hands in her lap, less they could see how they were shaking.

"I just…" she stammered. "I didn't think it was important…"

"Miss, it all is important," Officer Piett said, his face soft and filled with understanding—the very opposite of his partner. "We need to know every detail you can think of, please."

"Well then," Padmé breathed. "I think that's really all…"

"Okay," Ozzel said, his wrinkly brow furrowing. "So tell us then, every single person—family member or not, friend or classmate—literally _everyone_ you've given that phone number to."

Padmé almost forgot to breathe again. "I just… Just my parents."

Piett and Ozzel stared at each other and then at her.

Padmé could tell, they could very well see the big fat lie she had just said.

Even the kinder officer looked bother and offended.

"Miss Amidala… Padmé," Piett said, slowly. "Are you protecting someone?"

 _BREATHE!_

 _BREATHE!_

 _BREATHE!_

 _STOP SAYING STUPID THINGS! Be cool… Act normal!_

"No!" Padmé screamed, hating herself and her inability to being and appear calm. "I mean, of course not! I just… I don't even use that phone much. I never call anyone. My parents call me sometimes and that's all I ever use it for." She paused, steadying her voice and lowering her tone to normality. "Really, who would I call, officers? All my friends live with me… I see my classmates every day, and they live to almost walking distance. Only my parents call me. I swear. Sometimes my older sister Sola, but that's it, I swear… I… please, just…"

"Miss, relax," Piett said, erasing all signs of suspicion from his face, and with a simple glance telling Ozzel to do the same. "I think that's all for now. You may go to rest now."

Padmé stared at him. Did she or didn't she say too much? Her head was in too much of a storm to be sure or even remember what they had talked about.

The sound of a car parking outside brought their attention, and just a few moments later Dormé walked in with another, much younger and good-looking officer.

"Good evening," Officer Kenobi greeted, slightly and gallantly bowing his head for the two young ladies.

"I found him outside," Dormé said, smiling wickedly and blowing smoke from the cigarette in her mouth. "God knows where damn Luminara is but she didn't get the door."

"Well, it is quite late," Officer Kenobi said in an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry to disturb, I only came here to pick up Miss Sabé. Are either of you—"

"No," Dormé interrupted, moving closer to him. "My name's Dormé, and this is my roommate Padmé. Pretty, aren't we?" Dormé smiled again at him, smoke leaving her mouth like black clouds at every word.

Kenobi blushed ever so slightly yet remained serious and proper. "And where is that young lady?" he asked professionally.

"I'll go get her," Dormé said, winking and giving Obi-Wan a last insinuating glance as she left.

Padmé sighed. "I'm sorry," she said. "May I give you something to drink?"

"No thank you," Kenobi and Piett refused politely. Ozzel accepted a glass of whiskey, though. Padmé vacillated as she poured him his drink—the sorority girls never—maybe just Dormé—touched the whiskey. It was Mon Mothma's…

"Thanks," Officer Ozzel said, his voice completely devoid of any gratitude.

He finished it in one slip, then the door was opened. Dormé had returned with someone, but as was now usual in Kappa Kappa Delta, not the one she had gone looking for.

"No sight of Sabé," Dormé said. "But look who I found passed out in her own vomit outside," she mocked Luminara.

"Now, child, stop that!" Luminara cried, annoyed as Dormé was playing with her messy hair. It was more than obvious that she had been drinking and had just woken up.

Dormé laughed. "And she's not in her bedroom either," she said.

"What?" the policemen were worried.

"Has she been gone all day?" Kenobi asked.

"No, she was here just before."

"Good god, you mean she disappeared… after that Vader called?" Piett said, rubbing his forehead.

Dormé looked as if the idea had just reached her and it sink in her. "Well… technically, yeah, but… but she was inside so nothing could've happened to her. We have all doors locked."

Padmé put her hand on her mouth. She hadn't any proves; maybe Dormé just didn't look hard enough, but she suddenly got the feeling that she was never going to see Sabé again.

Her look of grieve didn't go unnoticed by the policemen.

"Well, we ought to go back outside," Ozzel said. "Keep looking for that girl. Call us if anything happens."

"I'll walk you outside," Luminara said in a voice that tried to be dignified.

"Me, too," Dormé said. "You might get lost, dear lady. Good lord, you smell terrible!" she laughed. "Why the fuck did you get drunk alone? You know we could all use a drink at these times," Dormé said at Luminara's ear yet everyone heard.

"I suppose you aren't familiar with the delightfully foul and classy aura that surrounds the sisters of Kappa Kappa Delta?" Ozzel bitterly snarled, looking at Kenobi's startled face.

Padmé and Dormé stared at each other and then they shared, for the first time in God knows how long, a true friendly and funny smile.

"Want one, my dear sister?" Dormé said, offering a cigarette to Padmé.

"No, thank you, my lovely sister," Padmé said, with equal mockery, unsure of why she acted in that immature way—perhaps because she needed to.

They reached the door, Luminara opened it, and before she could give a final goodbye to the police officers, something heavy hit her and she fell backwards, practically on top of Ozzel.

Kenobi helped Luminara get up but he dropped her as soon as he had grabbed her, causing all her weight to again fall clumsily on the enraged Ozzel, as loud desperate screaming startled him to the point of panic. Kenobi looked up and at once saw what had stumbled the drunk cleaning lady backwards—and what had caused the sorority sisters to scream so savagely.

"Good God!" Officer Piett exclaimed.

There was a body hanging in the front door. Lifeless and dripping blood from every possible place, mainly from the young girl's once beautiful and large feminine breasts.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Dormé screamed non-stop as Padmé's own shrilled screams covered them in a dark, eerie atmosphere of absolute horror.

Astonished, frightened to his very core, Officer Kenobi was the first one to snap out of it. He walked unsteadily and tried to help the girl—the corpse, free.

 _Ahhh! Ahh! Ahhh!_ Kenobi heard as he moved, the screaming girls almost stealing all his strength and paralyzing him. Yet he couldn't leave her like that. His pity surpassed his fear and shock.

The corpse hung by a rope on its neck. But the skin in that area was so damaged —at first glance you could tell from _**strangling**_ and something sharp like a _**knife**_ — the rope almost reached the bones and it looked like at any time the neck would split open, freeing the body from the rope's hold, causing it to fall on the floor. Sabé spun in circles in the main door, and Obi-Wan almost fell backwards like Luminara, when he tried to untie her.

Ozzel and Piett seemed to recover from the shock, Ozzel pushed Luminara aside and walked towards Kenobi. "Stop," he said in a hard voice.

Obi-Wan blinked, surprised. "We can't leave her like this…" he said, his voice pained.

"Obi-Wan…" Piett said, tears almost finding his eyes. Obi-Wan had tried to untie the rope from Sabé's neck.

The younger officer stared at the two partners with anger, then nodded, understanding duty comes first…That was a crime scene, and they shouldn't touch it or change it just yet.

"Go inside," Ozzel commanded the two sorority sisters.

Padmé took one last look outside, she stared at the blackness of the night, felt the chilly night autumn air… and a sharper, colder chill ran through her. _Are you there?_ She wondered, her heart bleeding. _Why are you doing this?_

"Padmé!" Dormé screamed behind her. "Hurry the fuck up, will you!"

Padmé locked the door and walked, holding on to Dormé, towards the living room.

* * *

When the ' _circus'_ ended, foresees, ambulances and police cars had gone, the corpse had been examined and taken away. The rest of the sorority sisters had learned of what happened, though they didn't get to see such terrible sight as Padmé and Dormé.

All the sisters in Kappa Kappa Delta had gone into the living room, arms together, eyes glistening with shiny tears, faces white and frightened. A silence that resembled peace— but was the complete opposite— covering them.

"You must all go home," Luminara said, a bottle of wine in her chubby hands, trembling as it reached her pale mouth. "Oh I'm so sorry, but it's obvious this is the end for this house!"

None of the girls said anything, but it was understood, by the next day, that house would be empty.

* * *

"You think so, too?" Ozzel asked Piett in a dry tone, both policemen inside their car outside Kappa Kappa Delta; cold three am wind barely coming from the car's windows; somber black night sky above them.

"I didn't want to believe it," Piett sighed. "She seemed like such a nice girl. Clean record, good grades and proper family… and she was one of the first to be attacked…"

"Yet ended up absolutely unscathed, if you remember. I thought it strange then, now it makes sense…"

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Piett's eyes shut and opened towards the sorority house.

"Why do you think she didn't mention her boyfriend at all when we interrogated her again? Eh?"

Piett was silent.

"And you remember the first time we saw him? She was screaming for help and then gave us the most ridiculous excuse ever! He was a big, tall fellow, too. I hear he plays football—what was his name… Anakin something…"

"Skywalker," Piett said.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"He looked like a fine young man."

"They always do," Ozzel said spitefully.

"Should we go interrogate him?"

"I don't know… Maybe it's too soon. Maybe he's not even home."

"Uh?"

"These kids usually live it up, partying."

"It's Tuesday, you know."

"Yeah, not much of a problem for these low-life, rich, entitled fellows. God, I hate frat boys!" Ozzel exclaimed.

"Yeah," Piett said. "You've made that clear."

"But perhaps it's not such a bad idea. I say we drop by his house tomorrow. And that professor that got beaten; I want to ask him some questions—Jesus, fucking Christ!" Ozzel jerked suddenly and pulled out his gun.

"What?" Piett muttered in a nervous whisper as he also grabbed his gun.

With a silent movement, Ozzel indicated Piett where to look: It was by the garden, lurking in the shadows, forcing the back door open, a tall, young man broke into Kappa Kappa Delta— _so the sorority house is not that hard to enter…_

* * *

"So did you see her?" one of the sorority sisters asked Padmé and Dormé.

Padmé said nothing and looked down, Dormé smoked her tenth cigarette of the night. "At least now we know for sure what happened to Cordé." Dormé said with supreme bitterness and irony behind soft aching tears. "Wonder which of us is next…"

By a corner, drunk and smothered, Luminara told her to shut up.

"Are you guys really leaving?" Dormé asked.

"I mean, if girls are disappearing, getting sent to the hospital and getting killed, even with the police watching us," a girl said, her voice filled with nervousness. "Guess that's an indication we ought to go."

"That's a good point, so we're leaving Luminara alone? You guys know she doesn't have any place to go—"

"Dormé!" Luminara cried. "For mercy: Shut up."

"Seriously," Padmé said, getting up. "I can't stand this," she said, her voice low. "I'm going to sleep."

"I thought we were having a slumber party," Dormé said, carelessly.

Padmé left, wishing she was dead.

As she closed the door to the living room, Padmé rested against it, with closed eyes, now dry from tears.

She tried hard, really, but she couldn't erase that _sight_ from her mind.

How could anyone do that to another human being? She wondered, the pain on her chest almost choking her. Would she ever forget about what she had seen? What she'd been through?

Oh, she could still see Sabé's lifeless, harmed, body as if she still had it in front of her. That bloody, bruised, ripped skin. Those eyes, permanently opened…the mouth, forever drawn into a scream of fear...

Then the horrible thought reached her… Could Dormé be right?

Did Cordé suffer from that same awful fate?

And would there really be a next one? And who would it be—

Padmé's burning questions were erased from her mind. Every thought clashed within her as she was grabbed and pushed aside. She felt a big, strong hand on her mouth, preventing her from speaking; his other hand was on her waistline, as he walked her—pushed her, against a hidden corner, just by the staircase. Hidden in the shadows, their bodies linked together, he tried to get a hold of her—

"Anakin—" she tried to say.

"Shhh… Don't say anything."

She was shaking, caught in a world of irreality. She was not going to be silenced. She was about to ask questions—when just behind them, she saw the policemen, Ozzel and Piett, walking silently with their guns up—motioning Padmé to pretend she couldn't see them.

 _What was happening? What are they doing?_ _BREATHE! BREATHE! Try to…_

She couldn't.

And without a tear or scream, too exhausted for any sensible action, Padmé crumbled in Anakin's arms.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 _Autumn was long gone, days were now long and hot. The LA sky shone brightly with its dreamy clear blue shades; the sun was strong and hard on her young, delicate skin, yet it did nothing on her spirits, apart from lifting them._

 _The breeze of the ocean reached and hit Padmé like a soft caress, warm like summer itself, sweet as a kiss from the man she loved; the one she watched with eyes sparkling with love, deep and stronger than any force, wrong or evil in the world._

 _They held each other with the easiness and innocence of teenagers, the passion of lovers, the adoration of soulmates._

" _Are you ready to go back?" Anakin asked as he navigated his uncle's boat._

 _Padmé ran like an excited child, appearing behind him, throwing her arms around his waist, pressing herself against him. "Yes, this has been a really fun day!" she said, laying soft kisses on his bared back. "But I don't want it to end so soon. Do you want to hang on the beach for a little while?"_

" _I'd rather we just go have dinner," Anakin said, turning to face her. "You know I don't like going to the beach."_

" _I know," she smiled. "Because of all the sand…"_

" _Come on, honey! It's coarse and rough and irritating—"_

" _And it gets everywhere," Padmé mocked._

" _But I guess we can stay for a little…" he lowered his voice and kissed her, deeply against the lips._

 _When they played together on the beach, it was almost like being children again, swimming, running free, unaware of the future that lay ahead, yet very curious about it._

" _Do you think things will change much when we go to college?" Anakin asked, the pale moon reflecting on the sea, Padmé laying comfortably on his broad chest._

" _Absolutely not," she said. "At least not with us. We'll still see each other, and we'll always love each other… We just won't be able to play so much!" she said, suddenly throwing sand at him and running away, laughing loudly._

 _Anakin chased after her, his laughter also mixing with the sound of waves, harmoniously building a song of happiness. When he caught her, they were both almost engulfed and kidnapped by the pacific tide._

" _Gotcha' My Lady!" he laughed._

" _I believe the term is Your Majesty," she joked, getting a hold of his wet hair and kissing him._

 _Throwing her on the sandy floor again, getting on top of her and removing his shirt, he apologized. "I forgot you were a queen..."_

" _How could you, my Faithful Knight!" she said, catching on his game. Their game. One they hadn't played since they were kids._

 _It was a fun game, Padmé suddenly remembered. When they were neighbors and shared the most innocent of friendships. Anakin was an odd kid, he had several nicknames for Padmé, Angel being his favorite, giving her unearthly beauty. But when on one occasion he heard Mr. Naberrie refer to her as his little princess, he thought that was too small for what Padmé inspired. So he started calling her Queen Amidala, and he often defended her from others; which caused her to call him her Errant Knight._

" _Do you remember how you used to defend me from other kids?" she asked, staring into his blue eyes, more in love than ever._

" _Yeah," he said. "Though if I remember, you hardly ever needed saving."_

" _Yes," she laughed. "But it was sweet of you, Ani. I always knew that if I needed help, I could rely on you. My Knight in shining armor. My Vader!"_

 _The clear night sky darkened._

 _Black clouds formed over her perfect summer night; the bright moon hid behind them. Pitch-black darkness on the beach and on his heart._

 _The memory of one of the greatest days of her life changed. As if fate was cruel and her mind delusional. She screamed Anakin's name over and over again, trying to find him in the darkness; over and over again she was to be disappointed, looking for a light in vain. Her mind much like her heart aching, as an odd, unnatural breathing sound covered her ears, taking away the beautiful music of the waves, allowing an awful confession out and loose again._

" _I killed them! They're all dead, I killed them!" his voice was like thunder, loud and scary._

" _Ani, please!" she begged for him._

" _They're like animals so I slaughtered them like animals!"_

" _Anakin," she couldn't see him, neither the darkness, her own tears blinding her. "You're breaking my heart!"_

" _Vader did it!"_

" _Anakin!" despair broke her voice, it ripped like a knife on her vocal chords._

" _Stop looking for her. Don't bother in trying to find her. She's not there."_

" _Ah… Ani…" she couldn't breathe anymore._

" _I killed them…"_

" _Vader?" she gasped._

"Padmé?"

Tears had never hurt so much, as she curled up in his arms. She felt choked, smothered and ill. What the hell was that? How could she forgot where she had heard the name Vader before those phone calls?

"Oh she's waking up," Padmé heard Dormé's voice, her roommate breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Yes," Anakin said, stroking her cheek. "She was moving a lot so I figured she was dreaming."

Padmé suddenly opened her eyes wide. "Anakin…" she tried to move away from him.

"You might want to eat a sandwich," Officer Ozzel said, his usual lack of tact surprising no one, yet his presence startling Padmé to the point of jumping.

"You're here," Padmé breathed, eyeing Ozzel as he stood on a corner, Officer Piett conspicuously next to him.

"Yes, Miss. Really, you should consider my suggestion. Even when under a lot of stress, it isn't normal for girls to just faint." Ozzel neared her, his eyes only on Anakin, though.

"What happened…?" Padmé muttered, resting her head on Anakin's shoulder.

"You fainted in my arms, scaring the living daylights out of me," Anakin explained.

"Yeah," she shook her head. "I scared you… again. But," she turned to see the policemen. "It was you who scared me. I saw your guns… and I don't know… I was tired and confused."

"We're sorry about it," Officer Piett said. "Didn't mean to frighten you."

"And about that," Ozzel said. "Why were you sneaking into the house, Frat boy?" he questioned Anakin.

He seemed calm yet embarrassed. "I heard a girl was killed tonight," he said. "I just wanted to make sure it wasn't Padmé."

"Understandable if insensitive," Ozzel was now a step from them. "But why sneaking into the house, Frat boy?"

"My name is Anakin Skywalker," he said in an insolent tone, causing every muscle in Padmé to tighten. "I didn't knock because… I didn't want to let anyone know I was coming."

"Especially Padmé," Ozzel smiled and narrowed his eyes.

"Yes," Anakin admitted, the short word incredibly bitter.

"Did you want to surprise her? Kind of a dick move on your part, Skywalker."

"Hate that I agree with him," Dormé whispered, lighting a cigarette.

Anakin looked down and waited a few moments. "I thought she wouldn't open the door."

"Why's that, boy?" Piett asked, coming closer.

Another moment of silence.

"We broke up today," Padmé at last said, closing her eyes for a moment.

"What?" Dormé's stunned voice broke the silence.

The policemen stared at the couple. Moving awkwardly, Padmé broke away from Anakin.

"Did you, now?" Ozzel questioned. "Why is that?"

"I believe that's private," Padmé said, angrily. "And forgive me but this night has been long enough. Please leave us."

Piett apologized and agreed.

"Right," Ozzel said. "You heard the lady, Skywalker. Let's leave them to sleep."

"I'm gonna stay," Anakin said, decisively. "I need to talk to you, Padmé—"

"I believe we said all we had to say earlier," she responded, avoiding his eyes. "Please go," she pleaded. _My love, you're not safe here…_

Anakin vacillated but at last he let the policemen push him away. "We need to talk," he said, staring at Padmé just as they had reached the door.

"I assume you're gonna stay outside?" Dormé said, looking at the policemen.

"Of course," Piett nodded. "We're not gonna abandon you, girls."

"Certainly," Ozzel smiled grimly. "You can rest assure, I'm not gonna rest until we catch that bastard, and you can be sure," he stared at Padmé. "We will find him."

"We're all going to breathe easier once that psycho is behind bars," Dormé said.

"Oh," Ozzel chuckled. "By God that won't happen. That Vader, as you call him, has an unavoidable date with the electric chair," he stared at Anakin, smiling still, and at last they left.

Padmé let Dormé take her upstairs to their room, unsure of how her broken heart was still beating.

* * *

It would've been ridiculous for Padmé to pretend her mind was together enough to attend her classes, yet nothing could've prevented her from getting up early in the morning to get ready.

She sat in front of her mirror, finishing her hair and makeup, like always, doing that reminded her of her missing friend and roommate. _Oh Cordé…_

She turned to see her sleeping roommate. "So you are not going to class?" she asked Dormé.

"Fuck off," Dormé muttered, putting a large pillow over her head and turning around.

"Okay," Padmé sighed. "Guess it's just me then."

And so she ventured outside her bedroom on her own, what she found immediately depressing her.

Everyone was getting ready to leave, packing their bags, calling their families, saying goodbye...

Reaching the breakfast room, a place once so comfortable and filled with female laughter, Padmé found the large table empty except for Mrs. Luminara, her face looking two decades older than in the night before. She had no food apart from a glass of wine, the bottle was standing in front of her in the table, almost drained.

"At what time will you be leaving, dear?" Mrs. Luminara said, her voice so tranquil it was disturbing.

Padmé sat by her side. "I'm not leaving," she said. "I can't."

"Oh Padmé don't worry about me. If you ought to go you…"

"I won't," Padmé said, determinately.

There was no arguing and after having a cup of coffee, silently, she left.

* * *

Walking around campus was now unbearable.

She was used to being watched, but usually with either admiration or jealousy. Now, eyes just stared at her with morbid curiosity. She was determinate to not let it get to her, she shouldn't allow that to affect her. She went to every class, ignoring everyone but her professors.

Her professors…

It got her thinking, Officer Ozzel was really suspicious about Anakin last night, maybe it was just her nerves, but she definitely thought the way he stared at Anakin was strange… Did Clovis betray their deal? She could expect so much from him… But she would not allow that creep to fool her.

Her feet walked, almost by themselves and without her permission, taking her to his building, unsure of what she would say.

Standing in front of his apartment door, she knocked and she could hear his steps inside, standing before the door and asking, "Who is it?"

She took a deep breath. "It's Padmé."

There were a few moments of silence, then he laughed and opened the door.

"Well hello," Clovis smiled, his face still bruised and unappealing. Effrontery reflecting on his wide eyes. "Didn't expect you today. Did you miss me in class?"

"We need to talk," Padmé said, her voice annoyed. He nodded. "We had made a deal, Clovis. I promised not to tell what you did to me, as long as you didn't tell what Anakin did to you!"

"Yes," he sat on a couch and motioned her to do the same. "And what?"

She was almost fuming now. "Well, have you said anything?"

"I said I was robbed, and that I didn't see who it was. That was all, my darling. I have not heard from the police since," he stopped, then said, "Why? Have you?"

She didn't answer.

"I can assure you, my dear Padmé, your secret is safe with me."

She stood up. "If only I could trust you, Clovis…"

"You haven't a choice… Where're you going?"

"I just came to ask you that—I have no intention of spending more time in your company than necessary," she said with spite.

"All right… I'll walk you to the door," he tried putting a hand on her back but she dodged him. "And please be at ease, I'm taking that secret to the grave."

"You better…" she muttered under her breath.

Padmé walked down the stairs unsure of whether she believed him or not, she knew Clovis was smart, and he wouldn't risk getting marked as a sexual predator who preys on his students… But why would Ozzel suspect Anakin then? _Because he's been acting suspicious…_ Her mind answered. _Even you have thought…_

The feeling of someone's eyes on her took her out of her thoughts. Loud steps behind her made her turn around. And he was there, appearing out of nowhere like a sudden shadow.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I told you, we need to talk," he said, nearing her, his blue eyes sparkling under the sunlight, filled with hurt, almost crowded with tears.

"Anakin… What are you doing outside Clovis's building?" she asked, suspiciously.

As soon as she finished her question she regretted it. "This is Clovis's building?" he asked, sudden darkness on his beautiful eyes. His anger rising and threatening to come out.

 _Fuck._

"What the hell were you doing paying him a visit?" Anakin demanded, his tone painfully jealous; his tall figure towering over her small one.

She took a step back, struggling to think of an excuse that could satisfy and calm him down… When behind his tall body, she saw a police car, one that was becoming very familiar to her. The one that usually patrolled Kappa Kappa Delta. And inside, she could almost distinguish Ozzel and Piett.

 _Fuck!_

"Anakin we shouldn't be seen together," she nervously muttered to herself, unaware of how it also reached his ears.

"Why not?"

She was sweating like crazy now. "Because we broke up," she offered as an excuse, the words immediately hurting him, erasing his apparent anger.

"Oh Padmé," his voice softened. "I can't believe that actually happened," he put his hands on her waist. She struggled to be released, mainly because she didn't want to. Oh how she missed his touch! "Please let's talk about it, I just can't believe…"

She couldn't hear his words, her own thoughts resonated inside her head too strongly. She thought of how she had told a story to the police, a story they now could call bluff, seeing her in his arms out in the open. Just outside the building where a professor, one who was attacked, lived. She thought about the dream she had the night before, and what it reminded and revealed… she thought of how Ozzel was looking for a killer to kill… and the thought of losing Anakin almost sent her to insanity, one step closer to absolute madness…

"Stop!" she suddenly yelled, startling him. "Let go of me!"

He did so, his face completely miserable. He really didn't seem to understand what she was doing and why. It looked like he just thought Padmé didn't love him anymore and wanted to be free from him.

"I will leave you… for now," he said ominously.

"Anakin," she said when he had turned his back on her. He stopped but didn't turn to face her. "Do you remember how we used to go sailing on your uncle Qui-Gon's boat?"

He silently nodded.

"I had a dream about one of those occasions last night… The last time we went before collage?"

"Yeah, I remember," he said, still not facing her.

"It was one of the happiest days of my life," she said, completely honest. Her voice now trembling as she held back tears. Though she had to stay away from him, she couldn't see him suffer. "Please remember, Ani… I love you. I always will. We just can't be together right now. Please," tears fell down her pale cheeks. "I know you don't want space between us—but it's necessary."

He didn't say anything, he walked and disappeared from her sight.

Sighing, Padmé also moved, straight to the police car.

She watched them both cough awkwardly as she approached them.

"So now you're following me?" she asked with extreme anger and displeasure.

"We're only doing our job," Officer Ozzel said, unapologetic.

"We must make sure you and your sorority sisters are safe," Officer Piett said.

"I believe your job was to patrol Kappa Kappa Delta," rage turned her sweet voice bitter. "And you're quite far from it, Officers."

"We'll go there tonight, don't worry," Piett said.

"We just have a few people to interrogate beforehand," Ozzel spat. "Don't you have classes to attend to?"

She took a step back, realizing he was trying to get rid of her. Rolling her eyes, she turned her back on them and started walking, she walked to her next class, expecting to be followed. Every now and then she turned to her sides and behind, expecting to see the police car; but just as she reached the building she was looking for, she realized, terrified… They haven't been following her at all.

 _It was Anakin…_ The thought was chilling. Officers Ozzel and Piett had been following Anakin.

* * *

 **AN** : Ani is in trouble :( We're almost there!

Please review and let me know if you liked the new chapter, and any theories as to how this is going to end? Mmhh…


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:** Sorry for the late update. Spring is my favorite time of the year so I was feeling too cheerful to get back here, though I really couldn't wait to write again.

Almost finished this at 13 chapters but that would've been bad luck… especially with a horror story… if I were superstitious—which I am not, but yeah… Please review :)

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

Professor Rush Clovis paced around his apartment, now and then laughing, now and then frowning.

Since Padmé left, he had been wondering a lot of things. She had seemed nervous about something, he noticed her pretty face was looking unusually pale; her beautiful brown eyes were narrower somehow—he could tell she had been weeping.

He knew there was some dangerous psychopath targeting her sorority house; that alone was enough to keep one in a state of fear. But there seemed to be something more… He remembered the way she acted on the last class he gave. Her odd curiosity at multiple personality disorders. The questions she asked. Her famous boyfriend. The brutal rage he experienced from Anakin.

He sat on the chair in front of his desk and went through some papers, he had a lot to catch on— but then there was a knock on his door.

He smiled cockishly and walked to open it. "Did you forget something, my dear Miss Amidala?" he asked as he turned on the doorknob. But his arrogance was immediately tumbled. It wasn't Padmé.

"Mr. Skywalker," he said, breathing deeply, pretending he wasn't suddenly unnerved. "This is a surprise, not a very pleasant one, I'll admit."

"Clovis," Anakin said, his voice slow and dark. "What's the deal between you and Padmé?"

Clovis kept the door open. "I'm afraid I don't understand, young man."

"Cut the bullshit, I know she was here just before me."

His tall form was intimidating even for a large man such as Clovis.

The professor cleared his throat. "She just wanted to make sure I didn't tell on you…Which wasn't necessary. Like I told your dear lady, I'm taking that secret to the grave."

"I don't care if you go to the police, Clovis. I just want you to stay away from her!"

"Listen Skywalker, I could promise you to never go to her… But if she comes to my apartment," he grinned, "there's not much I can do, now is there?"

"If you know what's best for you," Anakin threatened. "Stay. Away. From. Her."

There was a knock on the door. Clovis hastened to open it, clearly afraid of being alone with Anakin. It was officers Piett and Ozzel.

"Professor Clovis," Piett looked from the bruised face and to Anakin's tanned one alternatively. "Skywalker, wasn't it?"

"I was just leaving," Anakin dryly said.

"Not so fast," Ozzel said.

Anakin paid them no attention, he pushed passed them and fled. The policemen went after him, Clovis followed, laughing evilly.

Anakin was standing in the sidewalk, the three older men coming closer. He crossed the street and disappeared as if he had never been there at all.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Clovis demanded with fury. "Go on! Get, him! Arrest him!"

"On what charges?" Piett asked tiredly. "Leave the work to us, Professor."

"So you will just let him go?" Clovis was livid. "Typical! You Americans always talk about freedom, yet you fail to recognize the importance of justice! Murderers walking free and…"

Officer Ozzel put his hands on Clovis's throat, looking like he would murder him for his insolence.

"Ozzel," Piett tried to warn him.

"Fuck this prick," Ozzel screamed. "Who does he think he is? If in your country people are persecuted simply because they don't like each other, that's fine… But here we can't just arrest people based on speculation!"

"Speculation?" Clovis tried to free himself from the officer's grasp. "That fool is insane, and I can prove it! You just got to look at those blue eyes, crazy all over them."

"Nice, really." Ozzel went on mockingly. "So now we judge character based on eye color!"

"No, sir! What if I tell you there is a legit reason to at least detain the Skywalker boy?"

Ozzel and Piett interchanged looks.

"That guy has psycho written all over… why just a few days ago he—"

Ozzel and Piett jumped backwards, they fell with loud thuds on the concreted sidewalk, when they looked at each other again, they gasped because each one was covered in splashed blood.

Ozzel was too shocked to even curse for a few seconds; a minute passed and Piett got up, recovered from the shock, to help his partner stand up. "Good lord," Piett muttered, staring at Clovis's corpse.

"Sky—skywalker!" Ozzel cried.

"How? We just saw the kid go," Piett said with a frown. "He couldn't have done it… No one is that fast." He said as he wiped the blood from his face.

A car had suddenly passed, just as Clovis was about to break the promise he made to Padmé, as well as share a few of his suspicions…

Ozzel and Piett walked with legs almost trembling, Piett trying to gather the remains of the Professor… Ozzel grabbing the radio in his car to report what just happened.

* * *

Few girls remained in Kappa Kappa Delta. Padmé got to the house, already exhausted from more than just her classes, but the previous conversations to Clovis and Anakin, and she discovered that apart from her and Dormé, only Eirtaé and Moteé were left—though she shouldn't smile at seeing them. They were packing to go that very night.

"And I can't believe you're planning to stay!" Eirtaé exclaimed worriedly. "You can stay with me, if you want—"

"No," Padmé simply said. The girls looked at each other and climbed the stairs to get their bags. Padmé likewise went up, but to her room, to find a depressed Dormé lying in bed.

"How're you doing?" Padmé sighed. Dormé only flipped her off. "That well, uh?"

"Is anybody left?" Dormé asked, a pillow over her head.

"After tonight it's just going to be you and me."

"Yay," Dormé said with the least energy possible. "What's that noise then?"

"Eirtaé and Moteé are still getting ready to leave."

"Dumb bitches. Can't say I'll miss them."

"I know you will."

Dormé stood up to face her, her eyes large and slightly red; at first Padmé thought maybe she had been crying, but the smell of the room told a different story…

"Please don't smoke in here." Padmé asked.

"You want one?"

Padmé shook her head and left the bedroom, as she was walking, she heard a loud noise from her own room. Music. Hard and angry. Padmé, in the year 1972, still had trouble letting go of the sweet rock n' roll of the sixties. She was a formal and smart girl, but a part of her was still a hippie at heart. She hated heavy metal! And it creeped her out. She wasn't sure what song was playing, she recognized it was one of Dormé's favorite albums, it was called PARANOID, by a relatively new band called BLACK SABBATH. _Cheerful_ , Padmé thought with the bitterest sarcasm. _Highly appropriate…_

"Dormé!" she screamed under the loud music. "Please stop! At least tone it down…"

"Fuck off!" was Dormé's response.

The other girls met Padmé in the staircase. "Can't you turn that off?" Moteé exclaimed though Padmé could only read her lips, the noise was unbearably loud.

"Ugh," Eirtaé moaned and screamed at the top of her lungs. "Hate that bitch!" just then, the song had ended, giving a few moments of silence. They heard Dormé's laughter loud and clear, then the next song started, creepier than the last, and the girls couldn't communicate again.

The girls stood by the front door, waiting for their cab, till at last it arrived. "Bye Padmé! LOVE YOU! CALL US!" They tried really hard to say a proper goodbye, though Padmé understood nothing as Dormé put the same album on again.

"FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Mrs. Luminara appeared from the kitchen, bottle of liquor in hand. "STOP THAT NOW! I AM STILL IN CHARGE, YOU WICKED GIRLS!"

Padmé again climbed the stairway, running angrily to her room. "Dormé!" she screamed, the song playing was called Hand of Doom. Padmé knocked on her own door. "You're going to give Luminara and me a heart attack! Seriously stop that now!" Padmé stomped her foot on the floor, running to the kitchen, deciding that she couldn't take another second of life without a drink. She was grunting and still shouting angrily at every step, unable to recognize that, apart from the noises she made and the loud music, screams were covering the house.

Dormé had been lying in her bed, her eyes to the ceiling, smoking non-stop, listening to the loud music, unlike the other women in the house finding it very soothing, it understood and relate to her anger at life. She knew she was annoying everyone else with her record, she just couldn't care less of a damn really.

She was coughing like an old lady, aware that her many smokes a day were getting out of hand—though who could blame her, after all that had been happening? She stood up, feeling dizzy and slightly high. She walked to her closet… she hadn't done laundry in a while and so there wasn't much there… She thought of checking Cordé's closet—that would've been emotional suicide. So she tried Padmé's closet, knowing it was always filled with a great collection of clothes…

And something unexpected.

For the first time the song Hand of Doom actually scared her. The whole thing happened to fast, she could only gasp and try and scream for help as a hand, hard as metal wrapped around her throat. He took her to the bed as he continued to strangle. Her head was rising and falling again and again as he seemed undecided of his actions. She felt it was a man on top of her. Her eyes, blurry and red couldn't tell who it was, though.

She could feel the blood falling down her thighs, as well as the scream-worthy pain of her flesh being cut opened. Her own tears which she hadn't shed in years contributed to dim her vision, and the little she could see was black, black, all around.

She could hear the strange grunts and moans of the man that attacked her—but only because there was no distance between them.

She wanted to fight back, and curse and kill the strange creature above her, but an awful voice in the back of her mind told her desperately that she didn't have limbs anymore…

No part of her body was dearer to her than her breasts, the ultimate symbol of femininity, and her greatest attribute to get what she wanted. It is for that that the most blood-curling, chilling and terrifying scream erupted from her as she felt the blade of an already wet with blood knife on her chest. She felt how it slashed till it found her racing heart—till it made it stop.

Padmé drank a second glass of wine, hoping it would calm her nerves. She and Luminara were sitting in the kitchen table, they both breathed out in relief when the loud music finally stopped.

"About time," Luminara growled. "I think I will hear a buzzing in my ears till Christmas, though."

Padmé rubbed her forehead, unsure of why she suddenly felt the silence was worse.

Night had fallen once again in LA. Luminara glanced at the window with an angry frown. "Why haven't they come?" she mumbled, cursing the policemen; Padmé just shrugged.

"I can't say I miss them. They hardly do anything to help us."

"They at least make us feel safer. Oh to hell with them I am calling the police station! Come with me, dear, if you please."

They entered the living room and Luminara picked up the telephone. "Yes, hi," she said. "I'm sorry but I have I complain to make. I am the House Mother of Kappa Kappa Delta," at this Padmé frowned thinking of Mothma. "Well, the policemen that you assigned to patrol outside have not arrived… Oh I see. That you. Yes, good night."

"Well?" Padmé asked.

"Officers Ozzel and Piett are occupied with something right now, so they're going to be a little late. They offered, well, he himself offered to come just in case."

"Who?"

"Remember that handsome officer? Kenobi?"

"Ah, yes of course." Padmé nodded, the name Kenobi bringing the image of a dead Sabé to her eyes…

About fifteen minutes later, he knocked on the door. Padmé welcomed him to join her and Luminara into the living room.

"Good evening," he greeted politely.

"Why, how nice of you to come and check on us…" Luminara went on and on giving him compliments, to which he only shrugged and nodded along.

"Are you two the only remaining tenants?" he asked, a bit more gravely than he surely intended.

Padmé shook her head. "And another girl. I don't know if you remember my friend Dormé…"

"Ah yes, of course. Where is she? Probably it be best if you all just stick together."

"Oh she's been locked inside her room all day. She's in a rather bad mood. When that happens it's best to not bother her."

"I see," officer Kenobi regarded Padmé for some time. "And how are you adjusting to all these… changes."

Padmé cleared her throat; she felt the threat of tears prickling her eyes. She didn't want to talk about it. And she didn't. Because just then, the phone started ringing.

The three of them stood up with a violent movement, Padmé ran to pick up the phone; she fought for it, but Kenobi insisted on getting the call himself. Quite unwilling, she let him, yet she still remained close, peaking at the not-exactly-conversation.

"Hello?" Officer Kenobi asked at once

No response. Kenobi got to meet Vader's strange breathing sound.

"Who's there?"

"Hang up," Padmé begged in a whisper so low it wasn't heard.

"I…"Kenobi's eyes lighted as the other line finally spoke. "Killed them… They're all dead! I killed them!"

"What do you want?" Obi-Wan demanded. "Why won't you leave them alone?!"

"When a heart is broken…" the voice hissed. "It must find another… Even if you have to rip it from a living chest!"

The telephone shook in Kenobi's hands, yet he didn't hang up.

"What's your name? Who are you?"

The caller hang up. Officer Kenobi stared at Padmé.

"Do you really not recognize that voice?"

She shook her head.

"I was just thinking…" Kenobi seemed to be speaking to himself. "I've suspected for a while… Those phone calls appear to be related to the disappearances."

"I don't think…" Padmé couldn't finish her sentence. The sound of a car parking outside caught their attention. It was Ozzel and Piett.

"Well, I will leave then," Officer Kenobi said, looking like he wished to stay and investigate some more. "But," he grabbed Padmé's shoulder, brought her to a corner so Luminara wouldn't hear. "Miss, may I ask something from you?"

Padmé stared at him, confused.

"I would prefer if you don't mention it to the other policemen… You see, they're good people, good officers. But they're too mature, to not say old," he smirked for a second. "They do everything like they did twenty years ago. I believe technology should be used…"

"Sir," Padmé interrupted. "Forgive me, I don't mean to be rude: but what the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, if my theory is correct, and the creepy calls are related to the murde—to the disappearances, then we might be able to catch him/her/whatever."

Padmé was genuinely curious. "H—how?"

"If you promise me that if and when he calls again you can hold him in the line for a full minute at least, I'll catch him."

"What?"

"I'll be checking the line all night, I promise. So when he calls, I can track it, finding out from where exactly he's calling."

"You c—can do that?"

"I had suggested it. But my peers didn't think it necessary. They thought I was reading too into the lines. So do you agree? I know it might be a stretch… But think about it: we could put a stop to all this terror! What do you say?"

Padmé considered it for some moments.

An end to all of it… No more death! No more pain! Oh it was only fair…

She felt as though a knife had ripped through her heart, a guilty sense of treachery, as she said, "Yes, sir. I promise."

Kenobi gave a faint smile, nodded to both women, and left.

Luminara said something about how rude it was to whisper in front of other people, but Padmé didn't listen, she was peering through the curtained window, watching with hate the police car, and the two men out to get the love of her life. Then she shuddered… Hadn't she just done that? Sold him out?

 _Oh Anakin!_ Where could he be at the moment?

"Poor, good men," Luminara's voice sounded somewhere in the room. Padmé barely acknowledged it. "Waiting all night, without a chance of sleep." Padmé thought of Officer Kenobi, alert in the station waiting patiently to track down the caller. "I'm going to give them a drink." Luminara said and prepared two glasses.

Padmé kept staring out of the window. She watched as the plump lady came into view, walking over the grass with the alcohol and smile. Luminara finally reached the police car; the phone rang that awful loud noise. Padmé picked it up mechanically, almost unaware that she had done it. The unnatural respiration covered her aching ears at once. Padmé heard Luminara scream. "They're dead! They're dead!" at first Padmé thought the words came from the phone, but they were shrilly pronounced by Luminara. "Oh dear God!" Luminara was screaming.

The breathing sound. Luminara's screams for the dead Piett and Ozzel. Then her screams for help.

Padmé was frozen, like a statue, unable of moving a single muscle. She was sure that, despite all the horrifying things she had seen and experienced in her life, she had never been more scared. Her own breathing was heard, as unnatural and loud as Vader's.

 _What's going on?_ Her mind shouted from within.

She saw as a black figure appeared and took Luminara. Taking her to the ground and most definitely asphyxiating her. The shadow disappeared. Just then, the caller finally spoke. " _Deaathh…_ " it hissed disgustingly. _"DEATH! You will be—"_

She couldn't take it anymore. She hung up and then kicked the phone, wishing to disconnect it… when it goddamn rang again!

Feeling her back flooded with sweat, her shallow breathing disturbing even to herself, she dared picked it up. "Leave me alone!" she screamed, her voice completely broken and almost unhuman. "Please, leave me alone!"

"Padmé!" she heard Officer Kenobi's voice, instead of the calm tone she remembered, a fast and unsteady cry. "I've done it. I've traced the call! It's coming from inside the house! You have to get out of there! Now! The caller is calling from inside the house!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 _He's here._

Padmé heard Kenobi's words and though many seconds passed, she could not manage to well process them.

 _The caller is calling from inside the house._

 _He's inside the house._

 _Vader…_

"Miss? Padmé, can you hear me? Did you hear me?" Kenobi's voice resonated in her ear. She could not find her voice to answer. "I'm on my way! Just get out of there. Please!"

She put down the phone. With steps that could not be more silent or slick, she moved and left the drawing room.

She found the front door, fingered the doorknob, held her breath and then… the sound of small, loud barking broke the silence. She could feel her selfishness and desire to protect only herself fade away… she remembered that it wasn't just her in the world—or in that sorority house. Artoo! Threepio! And…

"Dormé!" she screamed. "Dormé, get down here!"

No response. Of course. The sound of her dogs was louder, it didn't ring as loud as her heartbeats, though.

She was so close to freedom. All she had to do was push the door and run away, that was the smart thing to do…

"Dormé! Please!" she shouted again. "Please!"

She could not leave her.

Pacing quickly, she found herself at the bottom of the stairway, dimly lit by the yellow light of the biggest chandelier. The hall where the bedrooms were located was a shadowy darkness, a black hole from which she thought she would not escape should she venture in it…

"Dormé..." she called again now in a whisper. "Ahh!" she screamed, Artoo and Threepio suddenly appearing at her heel. She kneeled to caress them a moment, then she carried both in her arms till she, in spite the lack of clarity and vision, found the door to her bedroom.

She entered it and turned on the lights. Dormé's bed had a large bulge under the covers. Padmé breathed out in relief.

"Oh Dormé… wake up, honey we have to go," Padmé whispered, Artoo and Threepio started barking very loudly and biting at her leg. "Quiet, you two!" she commanded. "Come on," she softly said and slid a hand under the covers, just above the pillow, gently pulling at Dormé's hair to get her to wake up.

She felt her fingers moist, she attributed it to the hot night, but cleaning her hand on her shirt, she realized, it wasn't sweat, but red hot blood…

Padmé screamed at the top of her lungs, with one swift, violent and desperate movement she removed the covers and blankets; and saw what remained of her most beautiful and carefree friend… Unable of looking away or stop screaming, Padmé cried with all her heart for her friend, oblivious of the world and her surroundings. Artoo bit harder at her leg, which made her wake up and hear the sounds from downstairs, and from her own closet.

Not wanting to spend another second with the corpse, yet incapable of thinking of what to do next, Padmé let her dogs push her out of the dormitory. Just as she crossed the door, she heard the closet door open, and a man's loud grunt. She ran, not knowing where to, seeing nothing, feeling terror and death approach.

Several times she tripped, at few moments she didn't manage to hold it in and she screamed. Somehow she found the stairway, but so amazingly nervous and shaky were her steps that she slipped, and she reached the bottom with a very harsh fall. The yellow light in the lobby allowed her to see, as she laid on the floor, bruised and sore, the black shape of a man. It stood tall at the top, motionless as she was.

"Padmé?" she heard a voice call her, timid and preoccupied.

It was Anakin's.

That made her react. She stood up and again ran to the front door. Just as she reached the doorknob she felt Anakin's big hands around her.

She didn't even bother to ask herself how he reached her so fast.

"My love," he said, "what's going on?"

She screamed, and scratched, and fought to be released but he refused to let go of her.

At last, two little dogs came into view, biting at Anakin until he gave Padmé enough freedom to run away.

She could not cross the door, and she could not remain in the house where death danced and reigned. She ran with eyes that were almost blind, burning ardently with tears and passed the kitchen.

"Padmé!" Anakin called, screaming. "Padmeeee!"

Unsure of what would become of her, she hid in the basement.

 _Oh please God,_ she thought, _let Artoo and Threepio be okay_. She hadn't such hopes for herself anymore. Something in her gut told her she wouldn't live past that night.

There was an incredible mess in the basement. It was narrow and it felt narrower still for all the useless things it kept guarded. It was dark, though not entirely black, thanks to the one window, the white moonlight entered, guiding Padmé as she ran looking for something to defend herself with. A knife? No, there wasn't any. Oh why didn't she grab one when she passed by the kitchen! She kept walking, searching… looking… she found an old gulf club, she clung to it as if her life depended on it… which it did. She walked to the window, ready to open it to finally escape… when on the transparent crystal she saw Anakin's blue eyes. She screamed. "Padmé!" Anakin shouted. "Open it! Let me in! Padmé!"

Padmé shook her head, not quite ready to die. She took a trembling step back, watching how, easily, Anakin opened the window, getting ready to enter.

"Padmé!" Anakin screamed again. "Come on!"

The basement door opened again, banging so loud it resonated all throughout Kappa Kappa Delta. A tall black shadow ran across the narrow place, on the direction Padmé was standing. It jumped on her with devilish, wrinkly hands that held no other intention than to kill her. Anakin had also managed to break in and jump over Padmé, the intention being to protect, kill if necessary.

Padmé screamed terrified, confused, locked, trapped in the strangest nightmare, watching a deadly fight unfold, not knowing who, or if anyone would survive it. The shadowy man had a knife in attack, the white hands deigned and struggled to cut Anakin's heart open, but the young man, strong and agile, rebounded all tries, till the black clothes, along with the murderer, laid on the floor, dead.

Anakin was breathless; he for a few moments did nothing but try to gather his breath back. Finally, he looked down at Padmé, and before she even knew what had happened, he had gathered her in his arms.

* * *

Officer Kenobi had not known what true horror was before that moment in which with all his skills he came to the conclusion that the killer of the sorority house called his victims from within the place in which he killed them.

Rushing to Kappa Kappa Delta, he hadn't much hope of finding Padmé Amidala still alive. Passing by the police car outside, and finding two officers, as well as a civilian dead only increased his suspicions. So when upon entering the house he found Padmé sitting, practically resting on top of Anakin Skywalker, he could hardly believe his eyes.

"I deeply regret Officers Ozzel and Piett's fates," Kenobi sighed, speaking to a forensic person. "And those poor victims we couldn't reach in time…"

Just then, Dormé's corpse was being taken away in a black bag. After that, a second corpse followed, though this one wasn't completely covered, and Kenobi managed to, unfortunately, see the head of the dead man—monster, in black clothes. It had the whitest skin, embedded with wrinkles, framed by loose greyish hairs. Obi-Wan Kenobi had to look away, and he asked the forensics to please be more careful. Turning to another policeman, he said:

"The dean of the university himself!" Obi-Wan exclaimed, still perplexed and astonished to his very soul. "Mr. Palpatine!"

"Incredible," the other police officer said, also very shook. "Who would have thought? Such a respectable, rich and powerful man… He's apparently—I mean, he was supposedly very close to that Skywalker boy."

"Yeah, I heard."

"Well, he met him since he was a small, orphan boy. He even helped his Uncle Qui-Gon pay for a big part of Anakin's education—though the boy got a lot from his scholarship."

"And Ozzel said Skywalker was an entitled, over privileged frat boy… may he rest in peace. Where is the Skywalker boy, by the way? He left?"

"He's still consoling that poor girl who saw the victims die. She's very shook up and till her parents arrive I think it's good she's not alone. I believe she's sleeping in one of the bedrooms from the second floor."

"Good. Poor girl deserves a moment of peace at last…"

* * *

Though the horror she had witnessed would not ever leave her, Padmé did find great comfort in Anakin's arms. At last, after so long of being depraved of his gentle touch and love, she could enjoy his warmth. Using his chest as a pillow she managed to find, every once in a while, a few moments of sweet, long overdue sleep. But these were all-too short moments, and each time, she woke up screaming from a nightmare. It had happened so much this night, that the police officers didn't bother to bust in every time they heard her, and they just let Anakin handle her.

"Who was it this time?" he softly asked as he scratched her head with one hand, while with the other he massaged her abdomen.

"Teckla," Padmé muttered. "I saw her frightened face… at least I know she's fine wherever she is."

"Yes," Anakin nodded. "Try to not think about it, my love."

"My love…" Padmé nestled deeper into his body. "I have missed you so much, Ani! Oh please, never leave me again!"

"I have never left you, Padmé. It was you who pushed me away. But I will not let you do that again."

Padmé smiled. "I feel so safe in your arms."

"Nowhere else are you truly safe, my lady."

 _Milady…_

"Anakin…there's something I've been meaning to ask you…"

"Mmhh?"

"When we were children, we used to play I was a princess, and you my faithful knight, Vader."

"Yes."

"I… I know you knew what Palpatine was doing all this time—I am only saying this!" she said, decisively, "because I want you to know I am never saying anything. I know how close you were to Palpatine… he was almost like a father to you. It couldn't have been easy to know he was hurting so many people."

"No… it wasn't. I should've done something, though! It wasn't until you were in danger Padmé… that I couldn't protect him anymore. I love you. That's why I kept calling… to warn you."

"Why did you use the name Vader? You knew I would recognize your voice."

"What?" Anakin asked with a puzzled look.

Padmé repeated what she had said.

Anakin shook his head. "I am not Vader," he said, " _We_ are not the same person. Understand that!"

"Okay…" Padmé muttered. "What… what do you mean, Ani?"

"Vader is evil. He would hurt you. I never would. That's why he's never coming back. I am not letting him come close to you again, my love!"

"Anakin, calm down!" Padmé pleaded.

Anakin took a deep breath and serenated himself. "He's not hurting you. I am not letting that monster close to you! Never!"

"Anakin…" Padmé shed tears. "My love!"

 _Double personality…_ Padmé remembered Clovis's teachings. _I will get him the help he needs… he will be all right!_

"You will be all right," Anakin said, somewhat mirroring Padmé's thoughts, freaking her out. ". I am not letting him come close to you again," he repeated.

 _He's not dangerous…_ Padmé thought _. He's done mistakes but he wouldn't harm a fly, I know…_ Wait. _Again_. Again, he said?

"Has Vader ever been with me?" Padmé asked, hating herself for following along, allowing the cruel _game_ to continue, "Has he ever tried to hurt me?"

"He's not hurt you."

"Not me. Someone else?"

"She's not there…" he muttered. "She's dead…. Dead. Dead. Dead."

"Ani?"

"They're all dead…"

Padmé stared into his gorgeous, enigmatic and tortured blue eyes. Loving him still, even his intensity, but also having to remind herself that he loved her, too, and that he wouldn't ever, NEVER, hurt her. Right…?

She can't think of anything, and her only impulse is to reach over to kiss him, praying to bring back the man she knows and adores, praying the feeling of her lips can give him peace, hoping against hope he doesn't respond with anything other than a deeper kiss.

The forensics and the police are almost done with their job in Kappa Kappa Delta. The basement had been examined. The crime scenes in the yard and dormitories. But in the attic there remains still, sitting in a rocking chair, the body of a woman who spent half her life in that sorority house, and who would probably spend all her death there as well. Mothma's skin is greyer with every passing day, but her fiery red curls remain the same color, and probably will for a long time still. Cordé's abandoned body which is still searched like crazy lies just as she had been left. The dry blood on her wounds and clothes has darkened, and it vaguely resembles the red that showed in the eyes of that crazy man that made it sprout from the veins to the outside.

The sound of cars leaving, mixes with that of the rocking chair, so silent is the night now.

THE END

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_

 _Dun dun dun!_ Yes, I'm going for the ambiguous ending. So… I am genuinely (and happily) surprised no one thought or even mentioned Palpatine during this whole thing, I mean he's kind of a package deal when Anakin is involved in dark deeds. If you've heard of a Red Herring, I was kinda going for that here.

In case it wasn't clear enough, though; what I envisioned happening basically was: Anakin knew about the murders happening. His double personality disorder was always there, but it really kicked off after his mother fell victim to gang violence. Like in canon, he was close to Palpatine, who's actually insane. So when Palpatine continued to attack people, Anakin's mind stayed in denial by blaming his other personality, Vader. He felt as guilty as if he had murdered, that's why he repeatedly called Padmé at the sorority house to try and confess the crimes that he didn't commit—or did he?

Mmhh, you can choose to believe what you want. Maybe here at the end Padmé went to sleep with her boyfriend who's mentally ill but harmless—or she's locked in a room with a murdering psychopath.

Finally, I just want to acknowledge two classic horror movies that inspired me to write this story since last Halloween (I would've done this in chapter 1 but that would've spoiled the whole thing!):

 _ **Psycho (1960)**_ That movie gave us the first attractive psychopath killer. Probably the first time people crushed on the bad guy.

And _**Black Christmas (1972)**_ _Incredibly_ , _deeply_ (I am not exaggerating!) disturbing and scary slasher film about some (again) psycho targeting sorority sisters.

Oh, and if you choose to believe Anakin did kill many of the people in this story, the inspiration for that would be the first _**Scream**_ movie _**(1991)**_ the ending when you not only learn the boyfriend is evil but that there are two killers still blows my mind!

Thanks for reading! Leave a review of what you thought of my story overall please :)


End file.
